Kise's Song
by aomeanie
Summary: In which Kise is an aspiring musician who falls in love with the one person who can't hear his song. [adult!aokise, musician au, singer!kise, deaf!aomine]
1. Chapter 1

_"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."_

_― Friedrich Nietzsche_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The crowd was small, something that usually didn't bother Kise, as long as his music was being heard and enjoyed. So when the small group of people listening to his performance began to stand and clap with pleased grins, he couldn't help but beam happily, and mutter a few unneeded _'thanks'_ before being pushed off the stage by his guitarist.

His heart was fluttering sporadically against his chest, and his throat was slightly numb from the hours spent of singing. But it was worth it. Kise loved singing more than anything else. Music was something he was always fond of, even before it became a profession rather than a hobby for him. _'You have such a nice voice!'_ was something he heard often, and was only partially his motivation for taking his singing career to the next step.

"Good job out there," Kasamatsu mutters as they make their way down the steps of the stage; his guitar set in his hands.

Kise nods, and flashes his senpai a smile before responding, "you too!"

Discovering Kasamatsu's talent in playing the guitar was something Kise was extremely grateful for. He was sure he wouldn't have made it as far as he had if it weren't for the stunning instrumental his senpai provided during their shows. They were a team, and without one or the other, their music wouldn't be the same.

"Holy shit… Look at the girls lining up to see you," Kasamatsu nudges his head towards a group of girls, all of them smiling and waving in Kise's direction. Kise waves back; having grown accustomed to responding to his fans in any given situation. It was all part of maintaining a good reputation, and… well… he likes the attention.

"Yeah, their harmless," Kise mutters as though he's defending them. He then averts his honey-brown orbs from the group of girls, and brings his gaze to Kasamatsu. "I'm kinda hungry, I think I'm gonna grab something to eat before I go," he states as he runs a hand through the blond strands of his hair. "I heard they sell good sandwiches here, I might settle for one."

"You go ahead. I'm going to head home, got to study a bit for some exams," Kasamatsu responds, and pulls his guitar case from beneath the stage steps. "I'll call you later; maybe we can practice tomorrow morning before I go to class."

"Yeah, sounds great."

Kasamatsu slips his guitar into its case, and snaps it shut before throwing it over his shoulder, a small smile gracing his lips. "Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow. Stay out of trouble, kid."

A small chuckle is heard from Kise, and he begins backing away from Kasamatsu; lifting a hand up as to wave goodbye. He then turns on his heel, only to be stopped by a few people who had just seen his performance. With a smile, he begins engaging in conversation with them; beaming happily at their praise as though he was a dog being offered a treat. Being told how beautiful his voice is never ceases to gratify him. A few girls cling to his arm and flash him warm smiles that he doesn't pay much mind to. He's grown used to the excessive attention females provide him with; considering that he was a model throughout his time in high school.

After a few minutes of conversing, Kise's stomach begins to growl, and he excuses himself from the group as to continue on his way to get food. His mind wanders off to other things, such as his earlier performance, the new song he wrote, and the apartment he is preparing to move in to within the next week. Kise is extremely content with his life at that moment, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Oh! Excuse me…" Kise stumbles over a chair, then immediately turns around to embarrassingly shower the male sitting in the seat in apologies. "I should really start daydreaming less, I'm really sorry."

The tanned male shoots a scowl up at Kise, and then averts his gaze back down to his food as though he was disregarding his apologies entirely. Kise shifts awkwardly, and begins chewing on the inside of his cheek; his hands dangling awkward at his sides as he stares down at the angered blue-haired male. If there's one thing the blond is afraid of, it would be the disapproval of other people. The thought of someone not liking him makes him extremely nervous, so he tries his best to remain on everyone's good side.

Exhaling softly, Kise timidly slips into the seat across from the stranger and offers him a small smile. "I'm Kise… the guy that was just singing on stage," he introduces himself, despite the other not looking up from his food. Kise's smile falters a bit, and he leans forward in an attempt to grasp the blue-haired male's attention.

"Did you just get here? Or were you here for my performance?" He continues to try to initiate conversation, his voice a bit shaky.

The other finally brings his gaze back up, and he looks to be a bit surprised to see Kise sitting across from him. There's something about his expression that seems to scream _'I'm not in the mood_', yet Kise feigns ignorance to the fact and continues to probe him with inquiries. He isn't sure why he is still trying. It's obvious the other doesn't want to speak to him… doesn't _like_ him, yet he continues forth with his jovial façade in attempt to make up for his rather unpleasant first impression.

"You don't seem to talk much… sorry if I'm bothering you," Kise lets out a soft sigh, then reaches up to rub at the back of his neck nervously. "Ah, could you at least recommend me a sandwich to eat? It's my first time getting something from here."

Finally, the other responds by lifting his teriyaki burger up a bit, then mutters in an indifferent tone that is a bit too loud, "I'm trying to eat."

Kise blinks confusedly before processing what the other is trying to imply. _Ah shit, he probably thinks I'm annoying._ A forced smile graces his lips, and he gradually scoots his seat away from the table before standing up.

"Of course. I should go get something to eat myself before my stomach begins performing a show as well." He laughs at his own joke, and brings a hand up to his lips as to stifle the noise. "Gosh, it's growling really loud. I'm sorry. You must be really annoyed, I'm sorry again. I'll let you eat," he continues on as though his ability to shut up has been lost.

He's never felt so… _stupid_. The other's glare has a way of burning through his skin… as though he's seeing past his exterior and into his soul. And the fact that he is able to remain expressionless throughout it all…

Kise extends a hand out to the blue-haired male, refusing to completely give up. He feels as though his words are lodged in his throat… and his palms are a bit sweaty from the amount of nervousness he's experiencing at that moment. "I never caught your name."

The other is staring at his lips as he speaks… and it's a bit unsettling at first, though he pretends not to pay much mind to it.

"Aomine," the tanned male states bluntly; ignoring his hand gesture all together as he turns his gaze away from the blond and begins taking his first bite out of his burger. This causes Kise to immediately pull his hand back, and shake it a bit out of apprehension as it falls to his side. It's, in a sense, the same as being rejected. Which isn't something the blond deals with often; being that he usually gets what he wants just by flashing a smile and batting his long eyelashes.

At least he got a name out of him… And although the other had blurted it out in a rather irritated tone, he can't help but feel accomplished with just that much. He has a tough exterior, and although it makes Kise feel a bit uncomfortable, he can't help but think of it as a challenge. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Aomine… Have a good rest of your day!"

_Dammit_, _why am I still trying?_

He swallows over the forming lump in his throat, then waves farewell to the tanned male, despite him paying no attention to him. And as he walks away, he feels as though his heart is beating through his chest, and his palms are abnormally sweaty. It's odd to think how afraid he is of being disliked.

* * *

"No really, it's okay, senpai. Don't stress it," Kise chirps into his phone as he presses it against his ear. Kasamatsu is on the other line spurting apologies for having slept in, and in result, missing out on their usual morning practice. Kise isn't too worried about it; he knows Kasamatsu is a fairly busy guy when it came to school and his part-time job. So he's rather lenient with such matters. Though, he wouldn't deny that he had been a bit excited to start practicing their new song...

Since he no longer had plans for the morning, he had somehow let his mom convince him into walking the family dog. He held onto the leash firmly in his free hand; letting the yorkshire terrier roam around on its free will. His name is buster; a rather well-trained dog, spoiled too. So when Buster looks back to see that Kise is talking on the phone, he slows his pace down and began walking cautiously. The realization causes a smile to spread on Kise's lips, and he kneels down momentarily as to pet him while muttering '_good _boy' under his breath.

"Anyways, we'll talk later. You can make it up to me by buying pizza tomorrow, I've been craving it," Kise states as he scratches underneath his dog's ear.

After ending the call, he stands back up and continues down his path towards the dog park, where he'd usually let Buster roam around without his leash. Kise would usually occupy himself by making idle chitchat with the other dog owners sitting around. Sometimes they'd recognize him, whether it's for his singing or his modeling, either way, he is satisfied with being well-known.

Just as he steps into the gates of the park, another dog runs up to him and begins pawing at his legs. It's a small dog, no bigger than Buster, and it has large, wide blue eyes that nearly melt into Kise's golden ones like ice cubes under the sun. Kise kneels down and begins petting the dog gently, Buster sniffing its black coated fur as to unmask the stranger.

"You're cute," Kise coos, then moves his hand underneath the dog's chin as to scratch the area.

"Nigou," a voice calls from behind the three enthusiastic beings, and Kise glances over his shoulder to see a male with eyes just like the strange dog, with his fingers wrapped firmly around a cup. The dog runs from Kise's touch, and makes its way over to the other male with a tail wagging fast enough to hit a fly. "Sorry, he seemed to have managed to escape our sight," the other states with a never-changing expression that seems to amuse Kise.

"It's fine! I don't mind. He's really adorable," Kise smiles, then stands up with his leash still in hand. "I'm Kise!"

"Kuroko," the other responds blandly, and then brings the straw of his cup up to his lips.

"It's nice to meet you! I've never seen you around… not that I come here that often, but I'm usually familiar with the faces."

"Nigou is newly adopted," Kuroko states shortly, his straw bouncing off his bottom lip with each word.

"Ah, wow! How exci—"

"—Did you find the damn dog?!" A brash voice interrupts Kise, and he instantly feigns a pout as though he's disappointed with his inability to finish his statement.

"Yes, Kagami-kun. He's right here."

"Good, can we leave now? I don't know why you thought bringing me here would be a good idea," a taller male approaches Kuroko from behind; a terrified look spread along his features. "Aho doesn't want to be here anymore either. At least, lucky for him, he can't hear these little devils barking and shit."

"That's horrible, Kagami-kun. And I'm not ready to leave yet. I was just having an important discussion with my new friend Kise-kun. Isn't that right, Kise-kun?" The shorter male flashes Kise a sharp glare that pierces his skin like daggers.

"Eh…" Kise, a bit confused with the situation, brings a hand up to lightly scratch at his head, a small smile forced on his lips.

The taller male, assumed to be Kagami, brings his gaze to Kise, and his fierce red orbs widen with newly found surprise. "I know you!" He exclaims, and his irritated demeanor seems to diminish entirely. "You're a singer, right? I've heard a few of your songs, they're pretty nice."

Kise begins beaming, his timid façade vanishing, and his usual cheery one remounting to take its place. "Ah, yes! I'm actually working on a new song at the moment; I hope to perform it at my next concert."

"That's pretty sweet, man. When's your next concert?"

"This weekend," Kise snorts, and then lets a shrug roll off his shoulders. "I'm a fast learner, though. A week is more than enough."

"I should stop by one of your performances some time; I don't do much other than play ball and…" Kagami shoots a disgusted look down at the dog standing by his feet.

"Why don't you come this weekend? I can get you in for free, probably front row seats if you want, too!" Kise suggests excitedly.

"Really? I'll go if Kuroko g—"

As though karma is making up for his previous actions, before Kagami could manage to finish his response, a familiar tanned male leans over and props his elbow on Kagami's shoulder. Kise instantly freezes in place, and he's sure that his jaw has nearly dropped to the floor, which is a bit embarrassing on his part. His grasp on the leash wrapped around his hand tightens, and his lips press into a straight line.

"Get your arm off of me, Aho!" Kagami nudges him away.

Aomine snickers; seeming to ignore the fact that Kise is standing right across from him, and then mutters, "What's going on? Can we leave yet?"

There's something about the navy-haired male that made Kise feel extremely… nervous. And although he hates the feeling, he found it to be _enthralling_ at the same time. Ultimately, he's conflicted. Kise usually strays away from those that showsigns of disliking him, yet for some odd reason, he _really _wants this guy to notice him… to smile rather than scowl when he looks in his direction.

Kuroko, who Kise had completely forgotten was there, pushes Kagami aside a bit, and then begins making hand gestures in Aomine's direction. Aomine seems to be watching his hands carefully, and after a few seconds of this, his lips tug downwards into a frown. With a disapproving look, Aomine begins making hand motions in response, his movements a lot lazier than Kuroko's.

_Are Kurokocchi and Aominecchi speaking… sign language? _Kise's brows knit together as he watches the interaction between the three males in front of him.

"What's he saying?" Kagami finally broke the silence.

"I told him that Kise-kun invited us to his concert, and I wanted to know if he'd like to attend as well," Kuroko makes hand signals simultaneously with his words.

Finally, Aomine speaks out loud, his voice loud and seeming to crack somewhat between words. "I can't fucking hear the music, so why would I go?"

There's something about Aomine's words that causes the other two to look a bit sympathetic, and Kise can't help but be curious as to what the hell he's talking about. "Excuse me, what do you mean you can't hear the music?" Kise finally speaks up.

"Aomine-kun is deaf."

_Oh_. Kise's heart feels as though it has plummeted at the realization. He feels so… _dumb._

_Aomine-kun is deaf._

And yet he had been too worked up in his own insecurities to realize that he wasn't being ignored, there had just been communication problems. "I'm sorry…" The words are meant more towards Aomine, but he can't… _hear_. Kise begins chewing on his bottom lip, and Buster begins rubbing up against his leg in response, as though he notices that there's something off about Kise's mood. "I didn't know, I'm sorry for being nosy." _Since when did I apologize so much_? Kise feels as though he had said '_sorry_' enough times in the past two days to last him a year.

Everyone seems to be staring at him, as though they are confused as to why he's apologizing.

"He just found out I'm deaf, didn't he?" Aomine blurts as though the situation is the most nonchalant thing ever. A sigh soon escapes the tanned male lips, and he slowly averts his gaze from Kise as though he's irritated with the fact that Kise hadn't known. _How was I supposed to know?_

Instead of talking, Aomine throws up a few hand gestures, in which Kuroko responds to with a nod of his head.

"Don't worry about it, Kise-kun," Kuroko brings his attention to Kise. "It happens all the time. But we're going to head off now; I hope to see you soon, preferably on stage."

Kise manages a feeble smile, "Yes, I hope to see you from the stage as well." He makes sure to exchange numbers with Kagami, promising him that he will text him details if they decide that they want to attend his performance that weekend. His fingers tremble as he enters his number into Kagami's phone, and he feels as though there was a massive amount of pressure being pressed down on him. Though, he tries to hide the fact by forcing his usual smile, and managing to keep himself from stealing glances of Aomine.

He feels horrible. Not because Aomine is deaf, but because he didn't pay much mind to actually notice. It's usual of him to miss miniscule details of a person, but this… this is _huge_. Something he should have noticed from the start. And he thought it was because Aomine was disregarding him completely… although, in a way, he is. But Kise doesn't blame him, because he feels annoying and ignorant.

After handing Kagami his phone back, they all (excluding Aomine, who stuffs his hands in his pockets and begins looking around jadedly) wave goodbye, and begin walking off with Nigou prancing close behind them. And what caught Kise the most off guard is Aomine glancing over his shoulder, his scowl not apparent for once. There's an apathetic, yet interested glint within his eyes as their gazes meet, and Kise finds himself holding his breath until Aomine finally looks away.

Kise sighs in relief.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Great show, Kise!" Kagami smiles, and firmly sets a hand on his shoulder.

Kise glances over his shoulder in surprise, and then lets a warm smile creep up on his lips as he realizes who it is. "Kagami_cchi_!" He perks, and his eyes light up as though seeing Kagami was the greatest thing ever. Kagami retracts his hand after obtaining Kise's attention, and returns the smile with less intensity.

"Kise-kun," the familiar flat tone unexpectedly calls out, and in turn, causes Kise to leap a bit.

After calming down from his slight panic attack, Kise returns to his prior cheery self, and chirps, "Kuroko_cchi!_" in response.

For whatever reason, Kise likes the two of them. Support is always appreciated by Kise, and despite having only known them for less than a week, there's something about the two that made him feel exceedingly cheerful. If Kise was a dog, he would be wagging his tail and barking in sheer content.

Tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, he turns around as to face his guests. "Thank you for coming, it means a lot," Kise states as he lowers his hand to the back of his neck, and begins rubbing at the exposed flesh diffidently. "At first I was a bit nervous that you two wouldn't show up. But sure enough, you were occupying the seats I reserved for you," he chuckles. "I hope I didn't disappoint."

"No, not at all," Kagami assures. "You and that guitarist make some pretty awesome music. When you're all big and famous, I better get a personal copy of your first album!"

Laughter is shared between the two before Kuroko finally speaks up. "You have a very pleasant voice, Kise-kun." And although his tone of voice is unwavering, Kise can tell that he's the type of person who's straightforward and honest with his words. It makes Kise's grin spread wider, as though he's being praised by a famous critic himself.

It isn't long before the room is filled with music from the band that had been scheduled to play after Kise's performance, and the three of them continue their conversation over a few drinks at the provided bar.

The rest of the night was pleasant for Kise. The music, the people, the night life… it's what he loves most about what he does. But as Kagami makes wild hand gestures towards the bartender as to catch his attention and call him over… he can't help but to feel as though something is missing.

* * *

Sleep had never felt so nice, until the prior night when Kise finally managed to drunkenly set his head down onto the mount of pillows displayed on his bed. As soon as his eyes shut, he slipped into a deep slumber that could have lasted him the whole day… well, if it weren't for the subtle shakes being inflicted on his body that unwillingly pulls him from his slumber.

"Ryouta," a stern voice repeats until Kise finally springs conscious and slowly opens his eyes. The room is bright, and it causes him to squint in attempt to shield his honey-brown orbs from the intensity of the light. His mom was hovering over him, a small smile gracing her lips as she realizes that she succeeded in waking him up. Kise returns the smile, though it's scarcely visible and a bit forced.

_It's day already?_

Kise brings a hand up to his face, and languidly rubs at his swollen eyes as a weary sigh escapes his lips.

"Took you long enough. I was starting to get worried that I would never be able to get you up," she states before sauntering over to his blinds and pulling them open. "Could you take Buster out for a walk?"

It isn't often that he's asked to take the dog out, but even so, she seems to ask on the least preferred days. A soft hiss emits from the blond as the light in the room enhances, and he instantly throws his arm over his eyes. Although it was wishful thinking, Kise had hoped to be able to sleep through his hangover.

"Yeah," Kise responds, his voice still hoarse from having just woken up.

"Thank you. You slept through breakfast, but there's still some stuff leftover if you want to heat it up," she informs.

"Okay, thanks."

He's finally able to open his eyes entirely, and he stretches his limbs before sitting up from his spot. His mom exits his room not too long after, leaving him half-awake and a bit unsettled from the throbbing pain pulsing through his forehead. It was moments like these when Kise was glad to be moving out into his own apartment.

After hopping out of the shower and taking a few pain relievers, he heads out the door with slightly ruffled hair and Buster on his leash. Kise pulls out his phone to discover a few unread texts asking if he made it home safely. He tells them that he's fine, and even adds a silly emoticon at the end of the text as to assure that a few drinks and a harsh headache can't bring him down. Even so, the warmth of the sun seems to help bring out his liveliness, and he feels his hangover slowly coming to a rest.

Buster trots in front of him at a steady pace, occasionally stopping by familiar landmarks as to sniff them out. It's usual of him to stop by the gates of the basketball court at the park to pee, having marked the chain fence as his territory. And as Kise waits, it's usual of him to watch the group of people on the court run back and forth on the painted cement. He always thought the sport looked interesting, although he knows nothing about the rules and how it's played.

Kise is watching the scrimmage taking place behind the fence as Buster handles his business, when his eyes roam over to a familiar tanned male; his skin glistening from sweat and his chest rising and falling slowly from his steadied, heavy breathing.

"Aomine_cchi_!" Kise instantly calls out, and begins waving his hand in his direction with enthusiasm.

_Shit_.

His hand immediately drops back to his side, and he can feel a burning sensation creeping up onto his defined cheekbones. He hopes that maybe… _just maybe_, no one notices him attempting to call out to a man who can't hear. But just as he's tugging Buster away from the fence as to stealthily make his exit, a man taps on Aomine's shoulder and points in Kise's direction. Aomine glances over in his direction, and as they make eye contact, Kise flashes him a wide smile and waves at him once again.

Aomine rolls his eyes and averts his gaze.

After being disregarded by the other, Kise swiftly moves his hand to his earlobe and begins fumbling with the silver hoop earring as an attempt to hide the fact that he had been waving. He huffs, and then continues forth with tugging on Buster's leash again. It's nerve wrecking… to think how easy it is for Aomine to make him feel stupid.

It's when he finally gets Buster to turn his attention away from the fence that he hears the familiar voice that has a way of causing his throat to go dry, calling out to him. "Hey!"

Honey-brown orbs immediately snap in the direction of Aomine's voice to see him slowly jogging towards the fence, and it's then that Kise feels the palms of his hands becoming sweaty. Aomine stops on the other side of the fence, and laces his fingers through the chain links. They are both silent, mostly because Kise isn't sure what to say… and even if he did, he isn't sure how he would say it. Because how would Aomine _hear _him?

"What do you want?" Aomine finally breaks the silence.

Kise smiles nervously. "Nothing," he responds habitually, and then lets out a huff as he realizes his words are rendered useless.

And then it dawns on him.

He pulls his phone out from his pocket, and pulls up the _new contact_ menu; handing it to Aomine in hopes that he will understand what he's trying to infer. Aomine narrows his eyes, and he looks as though he's against the idea, which Kise can understand. But after a few seconds of hesitation, and uncomfortable staring, Aomine actually takes the phone being handed to him through the fence, and begins entering the needed information. Kise smiles, and excitedly turns his gaze down to Buster as though the dog actually has any idea with what is going on.

"Here," Aomine says as he pushes the phone through one of the holes of the fence. Kise grabs it, stares down at his new contact with an expression that shows too much enthusiasm, adds his usual suffix to the end of Aomine's name, and then begins typing a new message.

_ To: Aominecchi  
** Saturday** 14:02  
Msg: Are you busy?_

Aomine pulls out his phone and only glances at the screen before answering out loud. "No…"

_ To: Aominecchi  
** Saturday **14:03  
Msg: I was just going out to get lunch, would you like to accompany me?_

"No," Aomine responds too quickly for Kise's taste.

_ To: Aominecchi  
** Saturday** 14:03  
Msg: I'll pay…?_

A sigh escapes Aomine's lips, and he turns his gaze elsewhere. "Why are you trying so hard?"

Kise's face twists up into a scowl; feeling slightly offended with the inquiry. He's frustrated, and he knows the fact is obvious with the way his brows pinch together and mouth presses into a straight line. And just as he begins slamming his fingers down on the screen of his phone as to write a lengthy message claiming how sick he is of Aomine's attitude, Aomine lets out a grunt.

"Don't bother answering, I don't want to know," he takes a step away from the fence. "Wait right there, I'm going to go grab my things."

Before Kise can manage a response, Aomine jogs off. It takes a few moments for Kise to realize that he was accepting his invitation, and when he finally does, he begins beaming just as happily as the dog standing at his feet. He backspaces his prior message that had been typed out of frustration, and stuffs his phone in his pocket as though he's hiding evidence.

Aomine makes his way around the fence, and as he reaches Kise, he kneels down and begins running his fingers through Buster's fur.

"I think he likes you," Kise states. And then his smile slowly diminishes as he remembers once again that Aomine can't hear him. It's something that he's going to have a hard time adjusting to, being that Aomine is the first person without the ability to hear that he's met.

He lets out a sigh, and kneels down, reaching out to pet Buster as well. Their fingers brush; causing the both of them to quickly pull their hands away. Kise mutters a few apologies that the other can't hear as he stands back up, and stuffs the hand that Aomine touched in his pocket.

They walk to Maji Burger in silence. It's a bit unbearable on Kise's part. He's usually the type to talk a person's ear off, definitely during times such as these where they're provided with nothing other than conversation…

_And silence_.

As to dim the unpleasant muteness between the two, Kise begins humming a tune that his mom used to sing to him when he was a child. Humming always had a way of alleviating stress from him.

Once they reach the restaurant, Kise ties Buster's leash to a post right outside of the window where it would be easy to keep an eye on him, and then grabs Aomine by his arm and drags him into the building. Aomine states that he wants a teriyaki burger and nothing else, and Kise nods before keeping his words and paying for the both of them. They sit at a table next to the window; no means of communication being made the whole time. It's when Aomine grabs his burger and mutters, "thank you," that Kise's silent demeanor fades, and he perks up in his seat.

He pulls his phone out, and begins quickly typing a message to Aomine.

_To: Aominecchi  
**Saturday **14:46  
Msg: No need to thank me! It's what friends do _(｡´∀｀)ﾉ

Aomine scoffs. "Friends?"

Kise nods, and then brings his burger up to his lips. Instead of responding verbally, this time, Aomine actually types a message back. Kise watches him move his fingers over the screen of his phone with anticipation; slowly chewing his food.

_From: Aominecchi  
** Saturday** 14:51  
Msg: i suppose…_

Although there seems to be uncertainty in his message, Kise can't help but feel content with just that much. It means he's making progress, and perhaps Aomine didn't hate him as much as he thinks he does. Kise's eyes trail out the window, and he watches as a few people stop to pet Buster. His mind wanders off as he begins mindlessly eating his food, and he doesn't notice until his phone vibrates against the tabletop. Curious, he glances down at the screen, and a soft chuckle escapes his lips.

_From: Aominecchi  
**Saturday **15:01  
Msg: how was ur concert, friend?_

Kise brings his gaze up to Aomine, who has a brow quirked, and seems to already be done with his food. The glint within his navy orbs is warm and show traces of curiosity, rather than animosity and disinterest. It's a sight that causes Kise's stomach to turn. _He remembered…_

He'd be lying if he said he hadn't been a bit disappointed to see that Aomine had actually decided against going to his performance. And he'd be lying if he said he hadn't been searching the building in hopes to see him in the crowd. Although he knew that the possibility of him showing up had been small, he couldn't help but _hope_. Which was something he was doing a lot of as of late.

_To: Aominecchi  
**Saturday **15:03  
Msg: It went great! You should have gone… we had a lot of fun after my performance._

"I was busy," Aomine says out loud. The way he averts his eyes exposes the fact that he's possibly lying, and Kise's smile falters a bit. Though, he doesn't let the fact bother him, because he can understand how the subject can be a sensitive one for the tanned male. He recalls his response when he had initially been invited, and how offended he seemed to be that anyone would even ponder asking him such a thing.

_"I can't fucking hear the music, so why would I go?" _

Kise swallows over the forming lump in his throat, and nods comprehensively, showing that he understands. He then decides to turn the subject from him, and being that he's curious about Aomine and his inability to hear, he begins bombarding him with questions that he hopes he has no issue answering.

_To: Aominecchi  
**Saturday **15:06  
Msg: Do you mind me asking, have you always been deaf? And I thought deaf people couldn't talk? Is sign language easy to learn? Can you lip read? Because I really like to talk and this texting thing is getting a bit tedious… Sorry for all of these questions, I'm really curious. And I want to hear more about you. If you don't feel comfortable talking about that stuff, then you can tell me how your day went… What's your favorite food? Also, your favorite animal? I'm guessing dogs, you seem very fond of them. How long have you been playing basketball? And do you like ice cream? If yes, what's your favorite flavor?_

Everything he can't say verbally, he makes sure to put in his text message. And as the blue-haired male reads it, a humored scoff escapes his lips, and he shakes his head a bit. Kise bites his bottom lip in anticipation, hoping he hasn't upset or offended Aomine in any way. Aomine shifts in his seat, and brings his hand up as to pinch the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. There's a momentary silence between them, though, Kise has grown accustomed to it. The silence is no longer or uncomfortable, but rather, in a way, peaceful.

"I was born with a slight auditory defect. So I was able to hear all the way up until I was seventeen. That's when my hearing declined almost completely. I say almost, because occasionally, I can hear some sounds, but I can't make out what they are. I grew up speaking, so I know how to speak. If anything, the idea of all deaf people not being able to talk is a stereotype. Though, I prefer sign language. It's much easier for me to communicate that way. As far as it being easy to learn, it depends on how fast of a learner you are. Lip reading is extremely difficult, so no. I can pick up a few words if I really try, though," Aomine sighs after stating his last sentence, and then looks out the window.

"My day was fine, I didn't do much. Teriyaki burgers are my favorite. I do like dogs, but I've always thought panthers were pretty cool. Basketball… I'm not sure. Been playing ever since I could pick up a ball. And I'm not very fond of ice cream. Though, I do like Gori-gori-kun popsicles… Is that all, singer-san?" He turns his gaze from the window and back to Kise as he finishes answering his series of questions.

In all honesty, Kise is surprised. He glares at the other with wide eyes, and his mouth slightly hanging open in awe. Aomine seems to be a reserved person; someone who chooses to keep to himself, and doesn't often reach out to others. So when he responded to Kise's inquiries with such ease, as though he had no problem doing it at all, Kise couldn't help but feel… ecstatic.

He wants to know _more._

_To: Aominecchi  
**Saturday **15:08  
Msg: I do have more questions, but I'll save those for later _(´⌣`ʃƪ)

"Later?" Aomine quirks a brow and keeps his half-lidded gaze set on Kise as he stands from his spot and begins picking up their trash. All Kise can manage is a smile and a half nod, because he's too excited to type out his response. He hopes Aomine can see his eagerness through his actions. Kise doesn't expect this to be the last time they hang out, and as he tosses their trash into the waste bin, he realizes he doesn't mind the fact that communicating with Aomine will be difficult.

The tanned male stays seated with his chin resting in the palm of his hand as Kise throws away their trash. As Kise returns, Aomine glances up at him with an expression that causes Kise's smile to widen and he extends his hand out as an offer to help him up.

They can discuss things later, he decides. Besides, he was craving a Gori-gori-kun popsicle.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Most deaf people would claim that spending the majority of their time with hearing people could make them feel excluded. Not everything can be heard, and it's difficult to participate in discussions. Even if there is someone to translate things into sign language, some things will be missed and left out. But solitude isn't something Aomine usually minds. Even before his hearing loss, he preferred isolating himself, and making the most out of the minimal time he had alone. So he tends to spend a lot of time with people who can actually hear, despite being left out majority of the time. It's better that way, he thinks; because then he has an excuse to not engage in conversation.

A few people have asked him, "If you were offered the ability to hear again, would you accept the proposal?"

…If anything, he doesn't mind being deaf. Silence is peaceful. And when people give him that usual pitiful look when they discover his inability to hear all he can do is scoff and roll his eyes, because they don't understand how appreciative he is to not be able to hear their fucking mouths.

Aomine stirs in his spot on his bed as the vibrating alarm beneath his pillow begins to shake obnoxiously. It takes him a while, but eventually he opens his eyes, and sits up with a disgruntled expression. Despite it being light outside, it's dim in his room; he makes sure to seal any area that light could possibly leach through. The loss of one sense has enhanced the intensity of the other four. So he's usually easily awakened by the sunrise, or by the considerately soft vibration of his cellphone.

He can smell food being made, and the scent causes him to hurry out of his languid state and roll out of bed. Aomine slowly shuffles out of his room; a hand slipped up his shirt so that he can lightly scratch his chest, and his mouth hanging open as a yawn carelessly escapes his mouth. Kuroko and Kagami, who he so unfortunately shares an apartment with, have their backs turned to him, and seem to be smiling about something he can't hear. It's disgusting, really; how inseparable they are. It's like he's watching some shitty romance, but instead he lives in it.

With a deadpan spread along his features, Aomine attempts to sit down on a stool quietly as to not interrupt their little moment. Though, he's sure he's made a lot more noise than he intended, because the both of them instantly look over their shoulders and in his direction. His expression remains unwavering, and he returns the stare without a word. Kagami begins to speak, and just by looking at his lips, Aomine is able to pick up, "Tell Aho…" The rest is undistinguishable, and in turn, causes Aomine to narrow his eyes curiously.

**_Kagami says you look like shit_**, Kuroko signs. **_And that you smell like shit as well_**_._

"Fuck you," Aomine retorts, and his brows furrow until the creases in his forehead become prominent. Nothing has changed between the two, despite them both being adults and supposedly more mature. Every other comment is an insult; one would think with Aomine's deafness, that the harmless quarrelling between the two would cease, but if anything, it's gotten worse.

Kagami signs in response, **_fuck you too_**. A simple hand gesture that Aomine had taught him during one of their days filled with immature antics.

Aomine rolls his eyes and brings his attention back to Kuroko. **_What are you guys making?_**His hand movements are languid.

**_Kagami-kun and I are grilling fish. You are welcome to have some, if you'd like_**, Kuroko responds.

He nods his head as to assure that he would like some. He's too lazy to get up and make something himself, so he figures he'd take advantage of the moment. Still a bit groggy from having woken up only minutes ago, Aomine presses his cheek down on the tabletop, and keeps his gaze set on his roommates. Kuroko and Kagami go back to cooking, smiling and talking all the while. Aomine can see that Kagami is laughing, and he can't help but wonder what is so funny. Though, he doesn't bother asking, not wanting to butt in on a conversation he clearly wasn't part of. After a few moments of this, he feels as though he's invading their privacy, so he turns his head the other way and lets his eyes flutter close.

Just as he's about to slip unconscious once again, he can feel something nudging against his head. With a disapproving look, he lifts his gaze to see Kagami pushing a plate towards him, and Aomine instantly sits up right. Kuroko sets his plate in front of the seat across from Aomine, and then sits down with a look that shows traces of curiosity. _Shit_. _It's that look_, Aomine thinks, and he instantly turns his gaze down to his food as to avoid any means of conversation. It's the look Kuroko usually gives him when he has something on his mind, and unfortunately, Aomine isn't in the mood for countless inquiries.

Minutes pass, and Aomine thinks he's successfully escaped Kuroko's inquisitiveness; that is until the phantom kicks him underneath the table, and causes his navy orbs to furiously snap up as to shoot dagger like glares in his direction. Kuroko's expression remains blank, as though he hadn't just tried to injure Aomine in hopes of grasping his attention.

**_Kise-kun told me that you two had lunch together the other day,_**Kuroko says.

Aomine averts his gaze, and a shaky breath escapes his lips. Figures. Kise seems like the type of person who can't keep their mouth shut for shit; the type of person he's content with not being able to hear. Yet, somehow, he's the type of person who seems to captivate him and gets him to talk.

Sometimes… _sometimes_, Aomine will feel a tinge of guilt for acting inconsiderately towards someone's feelings. It's rare, to say in the least. Yet Kise had some prevailing ability to make him feel like a complete and total ass majority of the time.

It's like telling a dog you don't want to play with them, only to have them sit by your feet with a dejected look that tugs on your heart, and ultimately causes you to change your mind. Aomine couldn't… reject the kid. Kise had been trying so hard to get on his good side, the least Aomine could do was give him a chance.

And turning down free food wasn't something he did often.

**_Yeah_**, Aomine finally responds after a few seconds of hesitation. **_He talks a lot_**.

He can't help but wonder, _just how much did he tell Tetsu_?

**_I think he likes you_**, Kuroko claims.

**_What the fuck is that supposed to mean?_** Aomine's hand gestures become stiffer, as though he's offended by the other's previous statement.

**_I mean, I think he's quite fond of you. He wants me to teach him sign language, because you stated that it's easier for you to communicate that way. _**Aqua eyes shift downwards momentarily, as he begins eating what's left on his plate.

The stated piece of information causes Aomine to roll his eyes. _Damn, this kid doesn't know how to give up_.

Kise _literally _stumbled into his life, radiating and bright, despite Aomine not being able to hear a single word coming out of his mouth. He would think after the many scoffs, obvious disregards, and having blatantly declined his invitation to his concert, that Kise would realize that he _didn't like him_. At least, that's what Aomine had tried to convince himself at first. He didn't like Kise because there was just no way he could get along with a bubbly personality like his…

It's when he lets Kise treat him to lunch that he realizes that perhaps he isn't so bad… And perhaps he doesn't _dislike _him after all. Either way, he has no intentions of frequently hanging out with him. Or ever again, for that matter.

As Kuroko finally lifts his gaze from his plate, Aomine signs, **_You didn't say yes, did you?_**

**_That's rude, Aomine-kun. And I told him I would be more than happy to help him learn._** Kuroko's expression seems disinterested. **_Also, it's your turn to do the dishes._**

A scowl accompanies Aomine's features, and he shakes his head in disapproval. He really hates how casual Kuroko can be when stating such things; it's a quality about the phantom that remained unchanged since middle school. And usually when Kuroko had his mind set on something, there was no persuading him otherwise. In other words, Aomine was hopeless. So instead of further pressing the subject, he pulls out his phone and sends a text to the one person that he least expected he would take the initiative of sending a text to first.

Kagami mutters something to Kuroko, and Aomine can tell that he asks, "What's going on?"

"Mind your own business," Aomine hisses.

Kagami narrows his eyes, and signs the only statement he knows how to sign. **_Fuck you._**

* * *

It's a pleasant feeling, Kise thinks; standing in his own apartment with his hands set on his waist as he examines the boxed-filled room. His toes curl into the new carpet beneath his feet, and he lets out a content sigh. There's something about hearing the words '_Kise's place'_ that makes him feel extremely giddy, almost to the point that his stomach churns.

He has yet to hang up his curtains, so the light from outside seeps through the windows luminously; causing the heat from the sun to soak into his skin. It's not that big of a place; just a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment with a decent size living room and kitchen. But he loves it, because it's _his_. It's like a sense of pride, to finally acquire enough money to move out of his parent's house and into a place that he can call his own.

"Did we get everything?" Kasamatsu asks as he sets his hands on his hips.

"Yes, senpai. Thank you for the help, I really appreciate it," Kise flashes the other a wide smile.

"It's no problem, but I should probably get going soon." Kasamatsu glances down at his wrist watch, and then brings his gaze back up to Kise. "Can you handle the rest from here?"

A humored chuckle slips past Kise's lips, and he nods. "Of course. Hurry to class before you're late."

Kasamatsu rolls his eyes, and begins making his way to the front door. "I'll be back later, to help you unpack. Maybe we can practice some songs, if it's not too late."

"Sounds good to me." Kise nods.

After Kasamatsu finally leaves, Kise starts unpacking while humming quietly to himself. The first box he opens contains kitchen supplies, so he picks up the cardboard container and sets it in the middle of the kitchen before sauntering off to open another box. Soon, his humming breaks out into a song, and he's prancing around his apartment as though he's performing at a concert. He's able to organize his closet and make his bed before his phone begins going off. With it being his first day away from home, he expects it to be his mom, or one of his sisters checking in on him to see how things are going.

It's much to his surprise to see that it's neither, and he can't help but bite back a grin as he stares down at the name that had popped up on his phone's screen. It's a bit unexpected; Kise didn't deem Aomine as the type to initiate conversation, so to see that he's received a message from the tanned male causes him to beam happily like a dog that has just spotted their favorite ball.

_From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:05  
Msg: hey. wut r u up to?_

Kise chews the inside of his cheek as he glares down at the text; his mind trying to put together the perfect response.

_To: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:08  
Msg: Aominecchi! (__) What a surprise to hear from you! I just moved into my apartment today. _

He hesitantly sets his phone down, and continues with unpacking the boxes he left open. When he hears his phone going off again, he runs over to the device a bit faster than he had intended.

_From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:13  
Msg: congrats_

_ To: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:14  
Msg: Thank you! You should stop by and visit sometime when I finish unpacking! I have gori-gori-kun popsicles (o´ω`o)__ﾉ_

Instead of going back to unpacking, Kise sits down on the floor and stares at his phone in anticipation. It's nothing big… he's invited all his friends over to check out his new place. But knowing how unapproachable Aomine is, he can't help but feel a bit nervous about how he will respond. It's when he doesn't get a response as fast as he'd hoped that he begins to feel somewhat regretful for even asking.

_Perhaps I'm pushing it?_ He's not used to feeling so… disregarded.

_From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:45  
Msg: i'll think about it. _

Kise huffs softly, because that's usually what someone says when they don't want to say no. Though, he supposes the vague rejection isn't as bad as it seems. It gives Kise an excuse to continue bugging him about it. He has no intentions of letting Aomine off the hook that easily. He was able to get him to say yes once, and he plans on having it happen again. His lips twitch into a miniscule smile as he thinks that, perhaps he answered vaguely not because he didn't want to blatantly decline, but because he didn't want to blatantly accept.

Before Kise can type out a response, another message pops up on his screen.

_ From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:47  
Msg: i heard u asked tetsu to teach u sign language _

His smile widens at the thought of learning sign language, he finds it to be extremely interesting, and he can't wait until he knows enough to hold a conversation with Aomine. He was never really good when it came to learning other languages, but with sign language being something that he can learn through visual comprehension, he predicts that it will be a lot easier to pick up.

_ To: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:49  
Msg: Yes! I thought it'd be a lot easier to converse with you if I actually knew sign language._

_ From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:51  
Msg: ur doing a bit too too much for someone u just met, don't u think?_

Something about Aomine's text causes Kise's brows to furrow, and his previous jovial façade falters altogether. He doesn't understand… how he can be so against the idea of someone trying to reach out to be his friend. It causes him to purse his lips and sport his famous pout, despite no one being around to see it.

It's obvious, their personalities don't clash. And one would think that, by this time, Kise would have just given up and continued on with his life as though the blue-haired male didn't exist. But… _he couldn't_. Aomine is interesting, and as apathetic as he can be, Kise can't help but to continue trying. He's never met anyone like Aomine; so carefree and seemingly disinterested, and he wants to know what exactly is going on in his head.

_ To: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:55  
Msg: Well, if we're going to be friends, then I at least want to be able to communicate with you properly._

_ From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:56  
Msg: wuts up w/ u and this friend shit?_

_ To: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:57  
Msg: No need to be rude._

Becoming a bit frustrated with Aomine's insensitive responses, he sets his phone aside and goes back to unpacking his things. Unlike before, he unpacks in silence, his lips pressed into a straight line, and his brows furrowed as he rummages through boxes. Aomine _really_ has a way of getting to him. And to think that they've only known each other for a week makes him wonder if Aomine is even worth going out of his way to befriend.

Pushing a strand of hair behind his ear, Kise finally begins unpacking his kitchen supplies, and placing the few groceries that he had bought prior to moving into the apartment into his refrigerator and cabinets. It's quiet, causing the sound of pots and pans clinging together to echo throughout the room. Displeased sighs escape his lips every so often as he moves around the kitchen, and he finds it difficult to stop pondering over the conversation he had with Aomine just a few minutes prior. He's never felt so… worked up over one person before.

After he's done unpacking what he can, he saunters back into the living room. His couch isn't scheduled to come in until the next day, so he settles with sprawling out across the floor, and staring up at the ceiling. It dawns on him that he probably should have laid in his bed rather than the floor, but by that time, he's already comfortable and too lazy to stand back up. It's not until he lets himself relax in his spot that he realizes how exhausted he is, and he finds himself easily slipping unconscious. Plus, he can use the nap to take his mind off of things.

* * *

"Kise."

A foot gently shoves into his side and causes him to squirm a bit on the floor. Kise slowly lets his lids flutter open to see Kasamatsu hovering over him with a paper bag in his hand. He turns his head away; the light from the setting sun inflicting pain on his sensitive orbs.

"Oh wow, I didn't mean to sleep that long." Kise brings a hand up to his eyes and begins rubbing at them.

"My last class was cancelled so I was able to get here earlier. I brought us some takeout." Kasamatsu nudges his head towards the bag in his hand, and then walks off into the kitchen as to set the food on the counter. "You need to get into a habit of locking your door. Anyone could have come in here while you were sleeping, idiot."

Kise sits up and lets an appreciative smile spread on his lips. "I'm so used to living at home, it kind of just slipped my mind," he admits. "You didn't have to bring me anything to eat, senpai."

Kasamatsu scoffs and begins taking the containers out of the bag. "Yeah, because I would let my partner starve," he states sarcastically, and peeks over his shoulder at Kise. "It's no big deal. But, you should hurry up and eat before this stuff gets cold. It doesn't look like you have a microwave."

"That's because I don't," Kise returns the sarcasm with a playful tone, and stands up. He runs a hand through his hair as to tidy the disheveled strands, and then proceeds to reach for his phone. "You brought your guitar, right?" With his eyes set on his phone, he begins making his way into the kitchen.

"Yeah," Kasamatsu responds, although his voice is only heard in the back of Kise's mind as he reads the messages displayed on his screen.

_ From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 09:50  
Msg: i'm not being rude_

_ From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 11:20  
Msg: sorry i'm just not used to all of this…_

_ From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 14:00  
Msg: i might have time to stop by this week, but don't count on it_

_ From: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 14:34  
Msg: wut flavor popsicles did u buy?_

A small grin spreads on his lips, and he can't help but laugh at how easy it was to break through the tanned-male's seemingly apathetic disposition. He brings a hand up to his mouth as to stifle his laughter, and shoots a glance in Kasamatsu's direction as to make sure he isn't being too obvious with the whole situation.

"Talking to a girl?" Kasamatsu asks, though he seems disinterested.

"Huh? No! No… Just a friend." Kise's eyes widen minimally, and he shoves his phone into his pocket after sending the message he had been typing out.

_ To: Aominecchi  
**Tuesday** 16:20  
Msg: I'm counting on it anyways, Aominecchi! (*´__`*) I hope you like vanilla soda flavor._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

It's annoying, Aomine thinks. The way Kise keeps glancing over at him with a genial smile; his honey-brown eyes wide and glinted with excitement. It's annoying because it causes his expression to immediately soften in return, as though the blond has the ability to ease his nerves. So he proceeds to keep his gaze elsewhere; a pathetic attempt of avoiding eye contact with the beaming blond. It's hard, but he manages by directing his attention to the boring activities taking place outside of the window.

Kuroko is sitting on the floor across from Kise, teaching him hand gestures that mean simple things such as _'hello'_ and _'how are you?'_ Kise seems to have already gotten the fundamentals down, and it's scary to think just how fast this kid can learn in such a small amount of time. Aomine would be lying if he were to say he isn't impressed, though he remains silent and discreet throughout it all; keeping his thoughts and observations to himself.

Aomine leans back in his spot on the couch, and continues to casually eat the vanilla soda treat in his hand. The popsicle isn't bad, though he usually settles for simple flavors such as samurai blue or ichigo sour, so it took a while to grow accustomed to the new flavor. It's a bit hot in the room; Kise has yet to figure out how to work his air conditioning, so the frozen substance begins melting faster than he can keep up. It's like a never-ending game; he hurries to lick up whatever is threatening to drip down the side of his hand, only to find that more is melting on the other side of the popsicle.

He glances over at the other two to see that Kuroko has been trying to get his attention.

**_Careful, Aomine-kun_**,Kuroko begins signing in his direction. **_Kise-kun said he just got this couch_**.

A scoff escapes Aomine lips, and he turns retracts gaze once again as he continues to lick at the dripping syrup.

It's not like he wants to be there, anyways.

Kuroko snuck into his room early that morning and began nudging his shoulder; telling him that he _'planned to go to Kise-kun's new place'_ and that he'd _'feel a lot more comfortable if Aomine-kun came along'_. Which was bullshit. If Kuroko wasn't comfortable with going to Kise's apartment, he wouldn't of had agreed in the first place. He's typically a straightforward person, and he's not afraid to say no in any given circumstance that makes him feel uncomfortable. It was probably an excuse to get Aomine out of the house, or Kise brought up the idea of bringing him along. Either way, he was irritated with the inquiry, because he had planned to spend his day lounging in his room; drawing a new piece of art that could go in his portfolio. It's been a while since he's last completed a drawing; mostly because his mind has been blank as of late, and anything he's tried to put on paper ends up crumpled and thrown into the trash.

If he hadn't been half awake, he probably could have avoided the situation. But there was no way he could say no with those stoic aqua eyes burning into his own so early in the morning.

Even with his gaze averted, he can feel Kise looking in his direction with his usual warm grin, and it makes his skin feel as though it's crawling. It's distracting, really; having Kise on his mind more often than he'd like. His brows furrow as he continues to stare out the curtain-less window of the room, and he begins holding his breath, as though halting his breathing will help direct his mind to other matters.

After finishing his popsicle, he turns the stick over in his hand and glimpses down at it. Upon seeing that it's not a winning stick, he flicks the piece of trash in Kise's direction, and watches blankly as it hits him on the side of his head. Kise's eyes instantly snap in his direction; a playful pout set on his lips as he reaches over and chucks the stick back at Aomine. A miniscule smile tugs at the corner of Aomine's lips as the stick lands in his lap, as though he's won some undeclared battle.

Words are exchanged between Kise and Kuroko, and Aomine remains silent as he watches their lips move; attempting to make out what is being said. Usually, he doesn't mind not being able to hear conversations. But it's when Kise laughs that he finds himself wondering if it sounds as pleasant as it looks.

* * *

"Like this," Kuroko mutters as he moves his hands slowly so that Kise is able to easily observe what is being done. "Now you try it."

Sign language is much easier to learn than what Kise had expected. Aside from him being overly proficient in perceiving matters visually, Kuroko is patient and fairly decent with teaching Kise how to move his hands. Every time he feels as though he has a new statement down, he glances over at Aomine and flashes him a wide grin; which in turn, causes the blue-haired male to look elsewhere.

**_Do you like tea or coffee?_** Kise asks Aomine; excited to finally be able to communicate with him through sign language, despite it only being simple hand gestures that don't really lead to any sort of conversation.

Aomine, with his head resting against the knuckles of his curled fingers, and his popsicle melting in his other hand, doesn't make any sudden movements as to sign back. Instead he mutters in a seemingly disinterested tone, "both." He then averts his gaze and presses his lips into a straight line, as though he'd rather be doing other things. It's a bit nerve wrecking; the tanned male's expression hasn't changed since the moment he arrived, and every time they make eye contact, he's quick to avert his gaze. It isn't until their playful exchange of the popsicle stick that Kise's able to witness some change in his demeanor. It's scarcely noticeable, and a bit smug, but Aomine's lips twitch into the slightest smile.

"He may not show it, but I think Aomine-kun is appreciative of your consistency," Kuroko says after watching the popsicle stick land in Aomine's lap. His aqua hues soften as they meet Kise's gaze, and he offers him a small smile that seems genuine. "There are not many people who are willing to put up with his stubbornness."

Kise stares at Kuroko a bit confusedly at first, the statement having caught him off-guard, and after he processes what has been said, he feels a bit embarrassed because Aomine is in the room. He momentarily forgets that Aomine can't hear, so his face flushes, and he lowers his gaze as to hide his flustered look. After regaining his composure, he returns the smile and reaches up to push a few loose strands out of his face.

"I can tell he's a good person," Kise says.

"Aomine-kun and I don't agree on a lot of things, but I think I can speak for us both when I say you'll be good for him," Kuroko's smile slowly falters, and his unreadable expression returns. "No one other than Kagami seems to be able to entertain him, and I can tell he's bored more times than most, though he denies it."

Kise laughs. "If it's entertaining he needs, that shouldn't be difficult. I am an entertainer, after all," he states with a nod. "You're a good friend, Kuroko_cchi_."

Something about Kise's statement causes Kuroko's smile to return, and he glances at Aomine, who's glaring at the both of them with narrowed eyes as though he senses that they're talking about him. "I just wish he'd smile more, that's all."

* * *

"This is stupid," Aomine says; his hands stuffed in his pocket and his posture slouched.

Kise purses his lips and narrows his eyes, feeling slightly offended with Aomine's rather off-putting attitude. He went out of his way to plan the day for the both of them, the least Aomine can do is _act_ like he's excited. Letting go of the arm he was grasping on to as to drag him through the streets of Tokyo, Kise turns towards the blue-haired male and begins making hand gestures.

**_Kurokocchi said you like art. So I thought this would be fun for the both of us_**, Kise signs with his pout still set in place.

It took around two weeks, but Kise is finally able to speak sign language, though his comprehension is not the best and he tends to mix up certain words. Kuroko would come to his apartment every other evening, dragging Aomine along, and help him learn sign language. Hearing Kuroko comment on how fast of a learner he was would cause him to grin widely, because the impressment in the phantom's tone was always a pleasant thing to hear.

Kuroko and Aomine's company was nice. Kise found himself buying popsicles specifically for Aomine's pleasure, though he'd force a smile and state that he's always been fond of them when Aomine asks why he's always so stocked up on treats. Sometimes Kuroko would bring Nigou along as well, and they'd all sit on the ground and let him run in circles around them. He found it interesting, how fond of dogs Aomine seemed to be; definitely when it came to Nigou. He'd lie out on the carpeted floor and let the ball of fluff paw at his chest and nuzzle into his side.

It was… cute, in a sense.

**_Yeah… I like making art. Not looking at it_**, Aomine claims with furrowed brows.

**_Have you ever even been to an art museum? _**Kise inquires.

Aomine averts his gaze, as though he's avoiding the question at hand; he seems to be testing Kise's patience, which is nothing new. Getting Aomine to do things with him isn't necessarily an easy process, though Kise is persistent enough to get him to finally break down and say something along the lines of, _'if I say yes, will you leave me the hell alone?'_

"So stubborn," Kise says under his breath as he keeps his honey-brown hues set on the tanned male. Aomine is beyond what some would define as stubborn, yet Kise still finds himself oddly captivated to him. He's just so interesting and… _cool_.

Kise sees beyond the front that most people fail to look past; what most people see is an intimidating, disinterested male who isolates himself and silently judges. At one point, that was what Kise had believed as well. But after the many days spent in his apartment over sign language and gori-gori-kun popsicles, he could tell that Aomine was actually a bit… affectionate; in his own way, to say in the least.

**_No_**. Aomine finally responds with a quick hand movement that Kise barely catches.

**_Well give it a chance. You might end up liking it_**. A smile graces Kise's lips. He drops his hands and begins to tug on Aomine's arm once again; pulling him in the desired direction of the art museum. Kise is actually surprised that Aomine doesn't pull away or make any sly comments about not wanting to be dragged around; instead he just rolls his eyes and languidly follows behind.

It's expected. Aomine ends up seeming to enjoy the museum; his eyes lighting up at each presented painting that they pass. Kise finds it to be amusing, the way he stops in front of a piece of art and stares at it as though there is some hidden meaning that only he could perceive. Kise will stand behind him, and tilt his head; his brows furrowed, and a hand set on his chin as though he's taunting Aomine and the rest of the people admiring the displayed art. Occasionally, he will throw hold his hands out in front of him, and make a box with his thumbs and forefingers; as though he's observing the artwork through a frame. It isn't until Aomine turns around and gives Kise a death that he stops acting immaturely throughout the museum for the time being.

**_You're not even looking at the art_**, Aomine accuses.

There's no denying that his interest in art is less intense than Aomine's, but he's trying to make fun out of what he can. It's better than moping around, he thinks. Kise shoots a glare over his shoulder at the tanned male and gradually makes his way to a different piece of art. He tries to study the sculpture in front of him casually; his hands set on his hips and a serious expression that mirrors Aomine's. Ultimately, it's no use. He doesn't understand what he's looking at; no matter how hard or how long he stares.

**_Look_**, Kise waves his hands as to catch Aomine's attention. When Aomine finally acknowledges him, he strikes a pose similar to the sculpture he's standing next to. Aomine's reaction is expected; a deadpan along with a roll of his eyes before shaking his head disapprovingly. Kise can't help but break into a giggle fit, because he swears he's done similar poses for a photo shoot during his modeling career. A few people walking past shoot them judgmental glares, and this causes Aomine to grab Kise by his arm and pull him to his side as though he were a child.

**_Am I really going to have to babysit you, blondie?_** Aomine signs; his expression remaining unchanged.

Kise covers his mouth with his hand as to hide his growing smile, and slowly shakes his head.

* * *

_You've got to be fucking kidding me_, Aomine thinks as he watches the blond act childishly throughout the museum. It takes all he has to bite back the smile he can feel threatening to creep onto his lips; mainly because he doesn't want to encourage Kise's flamboyant actions. Seeing Kise laugh so carelessly really irritates the shit out of him, because, _fuck, _he can't hear what it sounds like.

He feigns frustration as he watches Kise's antics, though he's somewhat amused with the way he could make light of any situation. Aomine always found Kise's flamboyant attitude to be rather pleasant, and it was interesting to watch him learn how to express himself in other ways than just words. Because that is what Kise is _used _to. He expresses his feelings through singing; a verbal harmonization that people can relate to through hearing. And although silence is a bit out of his comfort zone, it seems that Kise has no problem with finding a way to adjust to it.

Aomine grasps Kise by his arm and snappily pulls him to his side, like a disobedient dog on a leash. And as Aomine questions him, he looks up at him through those long lashes and shakes his head timidly as though he's sorry, though Aomine can tell he's hiding a grin behind those pale, lengthy fingers covering his mouth. The sight causes Aomine to sigh, and he averts his gaze before muttering, "Let's go get something to eat." Because he _knows_ Kise is bored; despite the whole thing being his idea in the first place.

He tells Kise that he'll pay this time, only because it would be fair, considering the blond paid the last time they had lunch together. Kise is reluctant, but he eventually agrees. They're both rather stubborn, but in the end, Aomine wins in that category.

They actually eat somewhere decent. A place that's known for their soup, because Kise had been going on for the past week about how he was craving onion-gratin soup and how he never had time to go and get some. And quite honestly, Aomine getting tired of seeing him talk about it. Plus, the way Kise lit up at the mentioning of getting his favorite meal for lunch was a rather pleasant sight, though, he'd keep that much to himself.

Kise frowns as he lifts his gaze up from his menu. **_This place is expensive. _**

**_I don't see what the big deal is. _**Aomine's brows pinch together at the other's complaining, because he just wants to do this _one_ thing for Kise. The blond is incessantly doing things for him, and he has yet to return the favor. **_It's not like you're not paying_**.

**_Yeah, but… This is a bit too much, don't you think? _**Kise inquires.

Aomine finds it to be a bit ironic. Everything the kid has gone out of his way to do for Aomine over the past three weeks has been "a bit too much". But Kise always managed to get away with such matters, because anytime Aomine would bring it up, he'd smile widely and state "It's what friends do." Well, two can play that game.

**_It's what friends do_**. Aomine says through sign language, and then drops his gaze back to his menu so that the conversation could not be further discussed.

* * *

_Did Aominecchi just… call me his friend?_ Kise glares at Aomine in awe as his breath momentarily hitches in his throat. He can't help but smile, and lower his gaze down to his lap. It's a sense of accomplishment, to see those words be stated by Aomine. And although he's against the entirety of it all; Aomine paying such an unnecessary amount for a small bowl of soup; he drops the whole subject and settles for letting him pay just this one time. Because it _is_ what friends do. And he wants nothing more than to be mutual with Aomine when it comes to such matters.

Kise is much too happy in that moment. He feels the pale skin of his face growing exceedingly warm, and the smile that had spread on his lips a few seconds prior remains stagnant. He's so content with Aomine's previous statement that he wants to sing. So as he waits for their waiter to arrive, he begins humming a tune softly under his breath, and tapping his foot in rhythm to the beat of his voice. Aomine looks up from his menu, and glances over at Kise through his half-lidded gaze; as though he can hear him. There's something about Aomine's expression that causes his stomach to churn, and his humming comes to a halt.

_Can he hear me?_

Kise swallows hard, and continues to maintain eye contact with the tanned male, the curiosity apparent within the glint of his honey-brown orbs.

**_I think I'm going to get the same thing as you_**, Aomine signs after a few moments of eye contact.

_Of course not, that would be ridiculous._

It's then that he realizes that the one person he wants to sing to can't hear his song.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

They're both exhausted from their rather adventurous afternoon of roaming Tokyo. Not to mention that they're sated from the meal they had eaten not that long prior to them reaching Kise's apartment. Aomine is lying on Kise's couch, his hands resting behind his head as he props his feet up on new cushions. And it's quiet. Unbearably quiet, for Kise's taste—though, with Aomine, he doesn't mind so much. Kise is a bit surprised; he would think Aomine would go home by then, considering they spent the whole day together. But Aomine had claimed that he'd rather hang out with Kise for a bit longer than go home to see Kagami's face.

Kise peeks over at the tanned male every so often to make sure that he's still awake, and Aomine shoots him a glance that seems weary and indifferent; as though he doesn't mind that Kise is checking on him. It's a look that makes Kise melt, because Aomine looks so carefree and at ease. Kise will flash him a smile that stretches from cheek to cheek before averting his gaze, and if Aomine could hear, he'd probably ask for his opinion on the color he is planning to paint his walls.

"Why are you painting your walls?" Aomine finally asks verbally as though he can read Kise's mind. Kise looks over his shoulder at the other with a slightly surprised look, because he didn't expect Aomine to be the one to disrupt the prolonged silence that Kise had seemed to grown accustomed to.

It's habitual, for Kise to open his mouth to speak, but his mouth closes just as fast as it opens, and he turns towards Aomine so that he can sign. **_Because the color is rather dull in here._**

"Yeah, but won't you have to paint the walls back before you move out?" Aomine keeps his hands behind his head.

**_I don't mind…_** Kise signs. Honey-brown orbs roam over the bare walls, inspecting how vacant and empty his apartment felt without having any hanging pictures or painted color to decorate them.

Aomine sits up with a mysterious look that makes Kise's stomach churn in an odd way. He watches as the other's navy irises examine the walls as well, his expression indecipherable, and his eyes half-lidded. After a while of silent glaring, Aomine's eyes shift back over to Kise, then down to the closed bucket of pain by his feet.

**_Why blue?_** Aomine asks.

Kise momentarily looks down at the bucket as well, and then shrugs as he brings his gaze back up. **_It compliments my hair_**, he teases with a grin, and a small chuckle slips past his lips.

**_You're an idiot_**, Aomine responds with a look that shows he's unamused.

**_How mean of you_**, Kise feigns a pout. Aomine's expression remains unwavering, and eventually Kise's playful demeanor dies down, though his smile remains. It's as though the other knew there was more behind his reasoning, the way his blue eyes bore into his skin and ate at his nerves.

**_I feel like this color will look beautiful when the sunlight hits it_**, Kise finally admits with a nod of his head.

Both of their eyes automatically trail to the window that he has yet to hang curtains over. Kise contemplates leaving it that way. He enjoys the open feeling of not having the window covered; the way the light attractively peeks through the glass as the sun begins to rise and set. Such as at that moment; the orange light of dusk illuminates the dim room, and reflects attractively off of the other's tanned skin. It's mesmerizing… distracting, and Kise can't help but _stare _whenever he has the chance.

**_It matches my hair_**, Aomine says, and Kise lifts his eyes from Aomine's skin to the cobalt strands of his hair. Just as Kise expects, the sunlight reflects stunningly off of the color…

_That's ridiculous_, Kise thinks as he swiftly averts his gaze back down to the bucket of paint. He gulps, and tucks a strand of hair behind his ear as he stares down at the sampled color dotted on the lid. It's not like he was _thinking_ about Aomine as he was buying paint… or when he's walking home, or putting his groceries away, or lying in bed…

_Ah_, he supposes the color does match Aomine's hair in a way. "Sorry," Kise mutters in a shaky tone, his mind too jumbled with self-persuasions to consider the fact that Aomine can't hear him. He begins chewing on his bottom lip, feeling guilty for have spoken aloud. It's been like that, ever since he met Aomine. Every time he'd catch himself vocally stating something, he'd feel bad… as though it's his fault that Aomine can't hear him.

"Why are you apologizing, idiot? I was just playing around. I mean, it does match my hair, but it's just paint," Aomine's voice is low and languid, which causes chills to rush down Kise's spine. "You remind me of an old teammate from high school… saying sorry for the stupidest things…" He leans back on the couch again and returns to his prior position; hands behind his head, and his feet propped up on the cushions.

Kise looks up with doe eyes, and forces a smile that doesn't seem too convincing. At first, he begins to wonder how Aomine had known that he apologized, but he figures the two-syllabled word isn't that hard to decipher through lip reading.

Sometimes—well, most of the time—Kise doesn't understand Aomine. He seems to put on this façade… as though he's irritated and disinterested with everything around him… with _Kise_. Yet, there are times when Kise thinks, _perhaps he does care._

It's confusing…

Kise can't help but wonder if Aomine still thinks of him as some oblivious singer that doesn't know when to shut the hell up, or if their friendship is… mutual. Unrequited relationships is something Kise often strays away from; he knows what he's worth, and he doesn't put time or effort into things if he feels as though he isn't being appreciated. But with Aomine, he just doesn't _know_ if he's being appreciated. And the inexplicableness—the unknown—keeps him around.

Just as Kise is about to manage a response, the sound of his door being opened diverts his attention, and his eyes swiftly snap towards the entrance of his apartment.

"Oi, Kise. Didn't I tell you that you needed to start getting into a habit of locking this thing?" Kasamatsu steps through the entrance with his guitar case slung over his shoulder, and an expression that wore disappointment. "I shouldn't have to remind you every damn time I come over. Seriously, it's frustrating."

"Senpai!" Kise beams, disregarding everything Kasamatsu is saying.

"You seemed surprised to see me." Kasamatsu closes the door behind him.

Kise's contented grin falters into a nervous one, and he slowly averts his gaze to the blue-haired male sprawled out on his couch. Aomine quirks a brow and sits up a bit, a curious glint within his navy hues. The truth is… Kise _is_ surprised to see Kasamatsu; despite them always meeting at the same time every day. Practice just sort of… slipped his mind, which is a first for the blond.

"Hah…" An awkward laugh escapes Kise's lips. "Oh! Senpai, have I introduced you to Aomine?"

Aomine seems to finally notice that Kise is talking to someone else in the room, and he sits up entirely. The two other males make eye contact, and for a moment, Kise feels a bit out of place… as though his presence has been forgotten. It's a bit awkward and oddly intense, the way Kasamatsu and Aomine stare at each other, and it's not until Aomine turns his gaze to Kise that the heavy aura surrounding them alleviates.

"Who's he?" Aomine inquires as though Kasamatsu isn't standing right across from him.

**_Kasamatsu-senpai. He's my guitarist. He usually comes over around this time to practice, but you can stick around if you want_**, Kise signs.

"Nah," Aomine grimaces, then pushes himself up from the couch. "Don't wanna intrude on anything… I'll just leave." There seems to be hostility behind the tone of his voice, and it causes Kise to furrow his brows and press his lips together.

There it is again, the indifference… the façade he puts on that drives Kise insane.

"Aomine_cchi_," Kise calls after him, though his words are rendered useless with Aomine's back turned to him.

"Nice to meet you, Aomine-san," Kasamatsu says; only to have Aomine brush past him in a rather brusque manner and make his way out the door.

With an offended look, Kasamatsu brings his gaze to Kise, and although he stands there speechless, there's something about the look in his sharp blue eyes that asks _'what was that about'_? Kise can't manage an explanation for Aomine's curt behavior, because not even he knows. And for some odd reason, he can't help but feel… _bad_. It's his fault for not having warned Aomine beforehand that Kasamatsu would be coming over.

Chewing on his bottom lip anxiously, Kise shifts his weight from leg-to-leg as he continues to stare past Kasamatsu and at the door that Aomine had just stormed out of. There's some part of him that wants to chase after Aomine… to tell him he's sorry, and that he'd like to hang out again another day. But he remains still in his spot, as though his feet are rooted to the carpet beneath his feet.

"He's deaf…" Kise says in Aomine's defense in a meek voice, and reaches up to brush his fringe out of his face. "…Let's get started, shall we?"

* * *

There's something deep in the pit of Aomine's stomach that twists and turns; something he's never felt before. He walks slowly, his hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his pants, and his eyes roaming over the buildings and landscapes of Tokyo. He didn't _want_ to go home. There's something about Kise's place—about _Kise—_that makes him feel at ease. As though he can completely be himself and not have to worry about anything other than the stupid colors Kise is going to paint the walls of his apartment. But the odd feeling writhing within his gut when he made eye contact with Kise's guitarist drove him away.

He had felt wanted… and realizing that he actually desires such simple-minded things causes him to scoff and shake his head in disappointment. Aomine never knew how much he craved the idea of having another person enjoying or wanting his presence. The way Kise smiles at him, or the way his honey-brown eyes sparkle whenever their talking about the most pointless or silliest things, it made him feel content…

When Kasamatsu arrived, and Kise flashed him that same beaming grin that he flashes Aomine every time they make eye contact, it angered him. Because realizing that he's not the only one that Kise smiles at like that makes him feel…

_Ugh._

The unpleasant feeling within his stomach is… _jealousy_. A stupid emotion, something he rarely feels, and he couldn't help but run from it. Because jealousy meant he was insecure in some way… that he _cares_ about Kise more than he should

**_Hello, Aomine-kun. How was your day?_** Kuroko asks as Aomine makes his way into their apartment.

Aomine pauses by the door. **_It was fine_****. **The scowl on his face contradicts his response.

It _was _fine… Hell, it was great. It had been a while since he last ventured the city… enjoyed hanging out with someone other than Kuroko and Kagami. He wouldn't mind doing it again, he thinks, though he keeps that much to himself.

**_I'm tired, though. So I'm going to go lie down_**, Aomine says.

Kuroko doesn't push the subject any further; instead, he nods his head and averts his icy blue orbs elsewhere as though he is dismissing Aomine. The gesture causes Aomine to scoff, though he's a bit glad that Kuroko doesn't question him any further.

As soon as he makes it to his room, he hurries over to his desk determinedly and sits down. His hands rummage through the papers and art supplies scattered on his desk until he organizes and finds exactly what he wants. For the first time in a while, he feels inspired to draw.

* * *

Kise merely watches; his arms crossed and set on the table set in his apartment as he rests his chin atop his intersected wrists. He watches without a word, his lips pressed into a faint straight line, amusement apparent behind the glint within his eyes, as Kasamatsu tunes his guitar. Honey-brown hues study each movement of the other's fingers as he lets them glide over the thin and thick strings of his instrument, his other hand working at adjusting and turning the knobs accordingly. Kise always found such things interesting, the maintenance instruments require. Even something inanimate, such as an instrument, needs to be treated with proper care.

It's funny, Kise thinks. The more he muses, the more he realizes that people are very similar to musical instruments.

Everyone is different; no one's song plays the same. Though, if they all play the right note at the same time, harmonization can be obtained, and music can be made. Music; the equivalent of experience. Those who experience the most will need the most frequent tuning; to have their strings adjusted and keys replaced. Though, not everyone can acquire such maintenance, and eventually their notes will dim entirely, and their song will be lost.

_Like Aominecchi..._

Kise buries his face deeper into his arms as the thought of the tanned male pops into his mind, and a faint grimace graces his features. The way Kise sees it, Aomine is just out of tune. He needs something… _someone_ to help him play music again; to see that there are people willing to reach out to him… to bring out the best in him.

"Senpai." Kise lifts his head a bit. "If I were an instrument, which one do you think I would be?"

Kasamatsu lifts his gaze from his guitar, seeming a bit confused with the sudden inquiry. "Instrument?" He parrots in question, and then lets a shrug roll off of his shoulders as he processes what exactly is being asked. "Dunno, probably a harmonica."

"A harmonica?" Kise sits up completely, a brow quirked curiously.

"Yeah. Well… when I think of harmonicas, I think of someone that is expressive… can fit in with anyone, anywhere. It's not the classiest instrument, but if played the right way, it works in almost any situation."

The corner of Kise's lips tug upwards into a slight smile. He never thought of a harmonica that way, at least, not until Kasamatsu described it as such. Kasamatsu brings his gaze back down to his guitar, and continues with adjusting the strings. Kise can't help but ponder on what type of instrument Aomine would be, and he finds himself staring intensely at the wall across from him, biting the inside of his cheek. It's hard, trying to think of an instrument that matches the blue-haired male's personality.

"Something on your mind, kid?" Kasamatsu asks after a few minutes of silence.

Kise shakes his head slowly and forces a smile, something he has grown a habit of doing as of late. "No. Are you ready for our performance this weekend?"

* * *

_From: Kise  
__**Thursday **__09:39  
Msg: Good morning, Aominecchi! (｡__)ﾉ __I haven't heard from you in a few days… I was wondering if you were free this weekend?_

_To: Kise  
__**Thursday **__11:03  
Msg: idk… why?_

_From: Kise  
__**Thursday **__11:05  
Msg: I have a performance on Saturday, and I know you can't hear, but it'd still mean a lot if you could make it!_

_To: Kise  
__**Thursday **__13:03  
Msg: nah, i'll be busy._

_From: Kise  
__**Thursday **__13:04  
Msg: Oh… Well, maybe another time! Also, I'm going to start painting my walls. And I was wondering if you could come over. Company will help the time go by faster._

_To: Kise  
__**Thursday **__13:07  
Msg: i suppose… but only if u make me lunch._

It's a twenty minute walk, maybe less, to Kise's place. Not too bad for someone who doesn't have a car, so Aomine didn't mind dragging himself out of the house and down the pavement in the direction of Kise's apartment. He tells himself that he needs the fresh air; he's been pent-up in his room for days, and it will do him some good to get out.

_Since when did I care about what will do me good?_

Navy orbs shift to the ground moving beneath him, and he watches as the toe of his shoe kicks a few rocks down the sidewalk. He's a bit surprised that Kise would still invite him over after the way he stormed out of his house the last time he had visited.

Staring at his feet seems to pass time, because before he knows it, he's standing outside of the door to Kise's apartment. He knocks, and when Kise doesn't answer as fast as he expects, he grabs the doorknob and pushes the door open himself.

"Kise?" Aomine calls out, and shuts the door behind him before making his way further into the area. Everything seems to be still, as though, if he could hear, the room would be quiet. But if there is one thing he has learned during his time of being deaf, it's that looks can be highly deceiving.

There's newspaper covering the carpet, and Aomine proceeds to take his shoes off before stepping onto the paper. It's not until he rounds the corner that he sees Kise, a paintbrush in his hand, held up to his mouth like a microphone, and he's dancing. It's an odd sight, seeing a person dance without being able to hear the music.

It's not until Kise twirls around that he notices that Aomine is standing behind him, and a bright smile spreads on his lips. He rushes over to the speakers that his phone is connected to, and Aomine assumes that he's turning off whatever music he has playing.

**_Sorry, Aominecchi. I had my music up a bit too loud. Ah, and thank you for taking off your shoes!_**Kise explains.

Aomine looks down at his feet, and then brings his gaze to the walls that are still unpainted. **_Were you planning on using the paint, or dancing in it?_** He asks with playful intentions.

He can't hear Kise, but he can tell he is laughing, and the realization causes him to smile the slightest bit. Aomine quirks a brow as he watches the other make his way back towards the wall and set his pale hand along the sheetrock. Kise tilts his head as though he's examining the area, and curious as to what he's looking at, Aomine proceeds to tilt his head somewhat as well.

Kise turns around and begins signing. **_I was thinking, Aominecchi…_** **_You like to draw, so maybe you can paint something up here. _**

**_You've never seen my drawings_**, Aomine responds.

**_So?_** Kise seems confused with Aomine's response.

**_So, what if I'm really bad at drawing? _**Aomine crosses his arms, and narrows his eyes.

**_Then I'll paint over it_**. Kise grins teasingly.

Aomine rolls his eyes, and then slowly saunters over to where Kise is standing. Kise seems to be watching him… observing him, but he doesn't mind. He tries to imagine the wall as a canvas, and his mind begins drawing ideas over the area. After a short moments worth of glaring at the blank wall, he brings his gaze over to the blond standing next to him and nods his head. "Okay," he says aloud. "Do you have an extra brush? I'll help you paint."

It's better than sitting around and watching, Aomine thinks. And there's no way Kise will be able to paint everything by himself in just one day, so he can use the help. Kise exits the room, and returns not too long after with another brush in his hand, that same grin plastered on his face. He hands the brush to Aomine with a giddiness that seems to irritate Aomine… _How the hell can someone be so happy about something as simple as painting?_

Kise squats down and dips his brush into the blue substance provided in the paint tray, and being as oblivious as he is, he doesn't pay much attention as he holds the dipped brush over Aomine's foot and begins dripping paint on his sock. Aomine instantly jerks his foot back with a twisted expression, and then without thinking the idea through, wipes the paint covering the toe of his sock off on Kise's leg. A snicker slips past Aomine's lips as he watches the blond look down at his leg with curiosity, only to see blue smeared on his skin. There's some part of him that's happy that he can't hear Kise, because he can tell by the way his eyebrows pinch together that whatever he's saying is not pleasant.

And as though everything was moving in slow motion, Aomine watches Kise purposely swipe his brush across his tanned legs, leaving a blue streak just under both of his knees. "You asshole," Aomine mutters, and then bends over to dip his brush into the paint. Kise leaps up, his brush extended out as though he's holding a sword, and it looks a bit pathetic.

_'Aominecchi_. _Don't.'_ Aomine can read the words off of Kise's lips, and it only causes him to grin deviously. The paint soaking the bristles of his brush drip onto the newspaper below his feet as he unhurriedly makes his way over to Kise.

_'Aomincecchi… I swear—'_

The rest is indecipherable, besides, even if he could hear Kise, there's nothing he could say to change Aomine's mind in the matter.

Before the both of them knew it, they had both lashed their brushes at each other to the best of their abilities. Blue paint is splattered all over their clothes and smeared across their faces. Kise is sprawled out on the ground, his brush resting against his stomach, and a finger pointing up in the air towards the ceiling.

**_You win_**, Kise signs. **_I give up._**

Aomine stands next to Kise, and then leans over him with an arrogant smirk. He smears some paint on the tip of his nose before letting the battle come to an end. "We should probably start painting your walls now."

**_Yeah, that'd be a good idea._** Kise scrunches up his nose, and then smiles. **_Help me up._**

It's nerve wrecking, Aomine thinks, because Kise is a male. Yet, he can't help but think of how stunning Kise looks in that moment as he extends a hand out to him, he can't help but think of how soft and well-fitting Kise's fingers are in his own as he takes a hold of his offered hand…

And he can't help but be hesitant of letting Kise's hand go after he stands up.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

They've both been lying on the floor for what seems like hours, and Kise is sure that the newspaper beneath him is practically glued to the fabric of his shirt because of the paint that had been freshly splattered all over the ground. He twirls a popsicle stick between his fingers, honey-brown hues watching with a bored glint, though that is not the case. The slightly irritating feeling of the dried paint on Kise's face causes him to scrunch his nose a bit as an attempt to crack the thin layer coating certain areas of his skin. Despite that, he's at ease… comfortable, and he feels if he were to put the stick down, he'd fall asleep, which is unideal at that moment. Kise had ordered pizza, being that he isn't the best cook, and he didn't want the tanned male to find out that much.

Aomine isn't within his vision, so conversing has been cut for the time being. They both lay in silence, relishing each other's company, and basking in the light of the setting sun. The sound of Aomine's breathing is the only thing that assures Kise that he's still there. It's soothing—the sound of the other exhaling softly and Kise even finds himself breathing in sync after a few minutes.

It isn't until another popsicle stick flings across the room and hits Kise directly in the forehead that he sits up with furrowed brows and an unsatisfied expression. Aomine's guilty smirk and quiet snicker only gives him away, and Kise flings the stick back at him, which causes the other to lift his hand up as to swat the stick away. A bit frustrated with having missed, Kise throws the other stick at Aomine; this time catching him off guard and successfully hitting him in the face. Aomine scoffs, then props himself up on his elbow, navy orbs glaring at Kise with a humorous glint.

**_It's not funny_**, Kise signs. Although the paint splattered all over Aomine's face is quite the comical sight, he manages to bite back his grin in order to make his point.

**_You should have seen your face after it hit you_**, Aomine says, and then begins snickering under his breath.

Before Kise can make any further comments, the doorbell rings, which causes him to turn his head towards the entrance of his apartment. Aomine, having not been able to hear the sound, continues snickering until the humor in the moment dies down.

"Where are you going?" Aomine asks as Kise stands up.

**_Pizza is here_**, Kise responds before grabbing his wallet and making his way out of the room.

The pizza man didn't hesitate to give the blond a critical look as he opened the door covered in pain, which Kise had completely forgotten about until that moment. "I was painting and then things got… a little hectic," Kise explains vaguely as he exchanges money for the pizza. The other doesn't seem amused with the fact; though he nods his head the slightest bit and forces a smile. Kise naturally returns the smile, and this seems to ease the awkwardness between the two.

"Enjoy," the pizza man says before turning on his heel.

"Thank you… Have a nice day!" Kise responds, and then nudges the door shut. The delightful aroma of the pizza causes Kise to realize just how hungry he is, and he lets out a low groan of impatience. As he sets the food on the counter, he prepares to call Aomine into the kitchen, only to bite down on his tongue and sigh disappointedly. Although he is getting better, he still manages to slip up and forget that he can't do things such as calling Aomine to dinner.

Kise makes his way into the main room once again, and he reaches up to run his fingers through the blond strands of his hair. Just as he rounds the corner, a tanned arm reaches out and causes him to stagger backwards until his back is pressed against the freshly painted wall of his living room.

_Shit…_ Kise breathes in sharply as he feels the paint leaking through the back of his shirt.

Just as he's about to go off on a rampage, Aomine leans in closer and sets his hand on the wall behind Kise, his navy hues glaring into his honey-brown ones with indecipherable intentions.

And just like that, Kise's mind goes blank, and his mouth goes dry. The feeling of Aomine's breath brushing against his skin causes the hairs on his arm to stand up, and the fact that they're leaning against the wet wall is completely forgotten. He feels… nauseous; as though his stomach just plummeted to his feet. His breathing comes to a halt, and he's sure he's staring at Aomine with wide eyes that display his shocked state.

"Here," Aomine finally says, and then lowers his eyes down to the hand amid the two. Kise lowers his eyes as well, and his brows furrow upon seeing that Aomine is holding the popsicle stick that he had thrown at him a few minutes prior. He finally manages to exhale, though his heart continues to pound erratically against his chest as the distance between him and Aomine remains small.

_Is this some kind of joke?_

Kise hesitates before reaching up to grab the popsicle stick, his fingers a bit shaky.

"It's a winning stick." Aomine drops his hand and then backs away from Kise. "Aw, shit." He glares down at the paint coating his palm.

A bit confused, the blond turns the stick over in his hand to see kanji letters stating that he's won. He swallows over the forming lump in his throat before letting his lips twitch into the slightest smile. **_You keep it, it was your popsicle_**, Kise signs, and then extends the stick back towards Aomine.

**_No, you paid for it. Keep it. I don't want it anyways_**. Aomine shakes his head in disapproval, and then takes a few steps back. **_I'm going to go wash my hands_**.

Kise nods, and then slips the stick into his pocket. Although the gesture is practically meaningless—just a popsicle that costs no more than one-hundred yen at the convenient store—it only proves that the tanned male isn't as inattentive or self-righteous as everyone makes him out to be.

**_I'm going to start eating. I'm starving,_** Kise says. It's at that moment that he comes back to reality, and realizes that the wall they had just painted has a large hand, as well as the outline of Kise's back, imprinted in the paint. "Stupid…" He mutters under his breath.

* * *

After finishing the pizza, Aomine helps Kise repaint the small bit of the wall that they ruined, and then proclaims that he should begin heading home. They pick up the soiled pieces of newspapers spread along the carpet, and then made their way to the entrance of Kise's apartment. A smile graces on Kise's lips as he pulls the door open for Aomine and watches him begin to make his way past the door frame.

Kise bites the inside of his cheek before reaching out for Aomine's arm and grabbing him by his sleeve. **_I know you said you didn't want to come to my concert this weekend, but usually a group of friends and I go out the night before our performances. And I invited Kurokocchi and Kagamicchi, so I was wondering if—_**

As to cut him off, Aomine begins swatting at Kise's hands. "I'll be busy," he says, and then stuffs both of his hands into the pockets of his pants. "I'll talk to you later. Make sure you lock the door."

When Aomine turns around to continue his way out, Kise lets out a soft huff and narrows his eyes. It's as though Aomine is aware that if he turns around Kise will try to persuade him into going, so he continues to make his way down the hall without looking back. After losing sight of the blue-haired male, Kise shuts the door slowly, and hesitates before turning the lock and setting the bolt in place.

* * *

_Fuck_.

Aomine leans forward in his seat and shuts his eyes, the vibrations of the room pulsing through his feet and causing his head to throb painfully. He can't hear the music, but he can _feel _it. It's obnoxious… loud… something he certainly wouldn't be listening to even if he could hear.

_Fuck… fuck, how did I get myself into this?_

Somehow, he let the blond persuade him into going out that night. He kept bombarding him with texts, saying that it wouldn't be the same if he didn't go. Kuroko kept bringing it up throughout the day as though Aomine had no choice but to go, and eventually he gave in. Only because he'd rather go and get it over with than not go and have to hear about it for the next month… and he hates disappointing Kise.

It's bad enough that he refuses to attend Kise's performances—that he has to see him force a smile and say '_it's okay_', though the glint within his honey-brown hues say otherwise. Such reactions don't usually bother the tanned male. He's doesn't care about the opinions of other people, and he never essentially thought he would.

With Kise it's different.

He can't figure out why, but everything is different with him.

Aomine's eyes flutter open, and he rests his forearms on the top of the bar. At some point during the night, he lost track of Kise, who is drunk and probably dancing his feet off somewhere. Everyone looks... extremely stupid. The way they're all moving; at different paces, like they're dancing to different songs—although it's just one song that Aomine can't hear. Seeing people like this is a main reason as to why Aomine doesn't enjoy getting intoxicated, or anything along the sorts.

Just as he thinks that he's found some time to himself, Aomine catches a glimpse of a girl sitting next to him in his peripheral. He gradually brings his gaze over to her, and then cuts his eyes as he sees that she's practically beaming. She's wearing a slightly revealing dress, the sweetheart cut making her rather large bust prominent. Her pink hair flows over her shoulders like water, and lies against minimally exposed skin of her chest with appealing contrast. It's almost impossible to not notice the voluptuousness of her breast, definitely for someone who's more likely to take his first glance at a girl's chest than her face.

It takes him a few moments to realize that she's trying to grab his attention… to _talk_ to him, and when he turns his head towards her once again; her lips are moving at an unreadable speed. Aomine points to his ears and shakes his head as to nonverbally state that he can't hear, and after a few seconds of confused staring, she catches on and pulls a pen out of her purse.

She slides a napkin in his direction after having written on it. _'Why are you sitting alone?'_

Aomine reaches over and takes the pen from between her fingers. '_Babysitting._'

Having found his response to be funny, the pink-haired girl begins laughing, a soundless action that looks to be boisterous. Aomine cuts his eyes, because he didn't find humor in the situation. Ever since Kise picked up his first drink, Aomine has been in charge of making sure that he doesn't wander off and get into trouble. It's not as though Kise needs Aomine's supervision, he's sure he's been out plenty of times before, but some part of Aomine feels… obligated.

_'I hope you weren't expecting me to buy you a drink or something…'_ Aomine writes on the napkin, and slides the pen back towards the pink-haired girl.

She seems to be amused with this, and she shakes her head before proceeding to write back. _'No, I was hoping to buy you one. You look like you need it.'_ There's something about her grin that irritates Aomine, and he rolls his eyes as to display the fact. Aomine glances over his shoulder to see if Kise is anywhere in sight, only to have the girl seated next to him tap on his shoulder to grasp his attention. As Aomine turns his gaze to her, she points down at the napkin.

'_I'm Momoi, by the way._'

Aomine takes the pen from her, and before he can write his name in return, and arm flings around his shoulder and causes him to draw a line across the napkin. Navy orbs instantly shoot towards the person with an angered expression, only to discover that the person is Kise. He smells like alcohol and fruity perfume, as though he's spent the majority of the night grinding on or being grinded on by girls. Aomine's glare only intensifies, and he shrugs the blond's arm from around his shoulder.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Aomine's not sure if his voice is loud enough, so grabs Kise by the sleeve of his shirt and pulls him down so that his ear is inches away from his mouth. "Do you plan on being hung over during your performance tomorrow? I'm taking you home."

Kise grins; his eyes half-lidded and his face flushed as he stands up straight once again. There's something about him at that moment that looks pathetic… embarrassing… yet surprisingly cute. And the realization only causes Aomine to grow more irritated with the blond. Disregarding what Aomine had said, Kise leans against the bar and tilts his head a bit so that he can get a better look at the girl sitting next to Aomine.

**_Who's that?_** Kise signs with his eyes still set on Momoi.

"Doesn't matter, I said let's go," Aomine nearly shouts, being that he's unaware of the volume of his voice. He isn't sure if Kise is asking because he's interested, or because he's curious, either way the familiar unpleasant feeling that writhes within his gut arises again.

Aomine quickly glances over at Momoi, who seems to be completely confused with the situation. "Sorry, I have to go." He then grabs Kise by his arm and begins dragging him out of the area. Kise stumbles a bit, and then quickens his steps so that he's walking by Aomine's side.

**_Why won't you dance with me?_** Kise asks. It's hard to decipher what exactly he's trying to sign with the way he's drunkenly moving his hand, and the dimness of the room. **_I don't want to leave yet, Aominecchi_****.**

It's amazing how that simple pout the blond seems to be so fond of can make Aomine feel bad—the way he looks at Aomine through those long lashes, his bottom lip poking out the slightest bit as though he's a child. It fucks with Aomine's mind; makes him want to just give in to whatever Kise wants. And for just one second, he's hesitant in his decision of taking Kise home. Because he shouldn't _care_ so damn much. If Kise wants to stay and drink himself into a coma, then he should be allowed to do it—Aomine has no say in how he lives his life.

But he can't bring himself to let go of Kise's arm… to stop walking out of the bar. It's not until they step outside that Aomine loosens his grip on Kise, and slows down his pace. A cool breeze brushes against his tanned skin pleasantly, and he can tell Kise is enjoying the sensation much more than he is. Kise leans his head back, and from the way his chest raises and falls, Aomine can tell he's laughing.

"Come on," Aomine says after letting the other relish in the fresh air for a few seconds. "Let's get you home."

And like a switch, Kise goes from laughing to pressing his lips into a straight line; his perfect brows pinched together, and his face completely drained of its color. He begins speaking, but his lips barely move, and it's hard for Aomine to make out anything he's saying.

"…_throw up," _is all Aomine can decipher from Kise's lips before he leans over and sets his hands on his knees.

"Don't throw up on the sidewalk!" Aomine rushes to Kise's side and wraps his arm around him. He begins leading Kise in the direction of his apartment. He can tell the blond is talking by the way his body vibrates against his, and after a while of one-sided conversation, Aomine sighs. He narrows his eyes, and his words come out a bit harsher than intended. "I can't fucking hear you, Kise."

**_Sorry_**, Kise signs, and then falls silent for the remainder of their walk. Something about the way Kise instantly shuts up makes Aomine feel like… an ass. He even contemplates apologizing for his rather brusque statement, but something holds him back, and causes him to bite down on his tongue ashamedly. It's always been difficult for him to verbalize his guilt—an issue that he doesn't run into often, because he doesn't find the need to apologize often.

It's a bit challenging for Aomine, walking with a drunken one-hundred seventy pound male putting all his weight on him. But somehow he manages to drag Kise all the way from the bar, up the stairs of his apartment complex, and to the door of his apartment without having to stop.

"Do you have your keys?" Aomine asks; Kise nods and begins patting the pocket of his pants. After a few minutes of unsuccessful searching, Aomine reaches forward and twists the knob of Kise's door, only to find that the idiot didn't lock it prior to leaving. "You really need to get out of that habit."

**_It's fine…_** Kise signs.

"Yeah, it's fine until someone walks into your house and steals your shit." Aomine begins dragging Kise to his room. "Idiot."

Kise rolls his head to the side a bit, and lets a small grin grace his lips. The look causes Aomine's irritated demeanor to falter, and he averts his gaze as to hide the fact.

"Lie down," Aomine demands as they finally make it to Kise's bed. Kise complies; rolling onto his mattress and burying his face deep into one of his pillows. "Take your shoes off," Aomine mutters; Kise doesn't move. A sigh escapes Aomine's lips, and he proceeds to slip Kise's shoes off both of his feet.

After dropping Kise's shoes on the ground next to his bed, he throws a blanket over the blond, and then turns on his heel as to make his way out of the room. Before he can take any further steps, Kise reaches out and grabs his arm, his face turned so that he can look up at Aomine with those dog-like eyes that makes him feel as though he's melting.

There's something about the way Kise is glaring at him, as though he's saying _'don't leave me'_. The color that had previously drained from Kise's face returns and a slight pink tints his cheekbones. Aomine _can't_ leave… not while he's looking at him like that.

Aomine's breath halts, though he manages to keep his expression unchanging as he stares down at the intoxicated male; his arm is limp in Kise's grasp. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be on the couch."

After hearing this, Kise drops his hand away from Aomine and signs, **_Good night_**, before tucking his hand under his blanket. The worried expression on his face diminishes, and he nuzzles his face further into his pillow.

"…Night," Aomine murmurs, and then continues his way out of the room. As he reaches the door to Kise's room, Aomine turns to look at Kise, who seems to have already slipped unconscious. The peaceful expression set on Kise's face causes Aomine to stare longer than he had intended, and it isn't until the blond twitches in his sleep that he breaks out of his momentary trance, and rolls his eyes before flipping the switch of the light off.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It's like this, usually, when he goes out with his friends. He drinks his memory away, and finds himself waking up in a friend's or sometimes even a girl's house. Ever since he reached the legal drinking age, he takes advantage of it whenever he's given the chance, regardless of the fact that he highly despises the aftereffects that take place the ensuing morning.

Having found the motivation to get out of bed, the blond throws his feet over the edge of his mattress and stretches, his toes curling into the carpet. He slowly stands up, and begins patting his pockets to check and see if his keys and phone are still on him. A sigh slips past his lips upon noticing that his pockets are empty, and he runs his fingers through the disheveled strands of his hair.

The night before is nothing but a blur for Kise, no matter how long he lies in bed trying to figure out _how he got there in the first place_. Kise brings his hand to his face and begins rubbing his fingertips into his temples, attempting to cease the painful throbbing coursing throughout the area.

Last night is not important, Kise decides after a few more seconds of unsuccessful pondering. He has more important things to worry about, such as his performance, which should be taking place in…

A panicked grunt escapes Kise's lips as he glances over at the clock set on his night stand, realizing that he woke up later than he should have. He's sure Kasamatsu has been calling him all morning, and the realization causes his heart to nearly plummet to his feet. The last thing he needs is people being angry with him… definitely not Kasamatsu, who's notorious for being rather violent and intimidating when upset.

Now in a rush, Kise hurries out of his room, his hands slipping into his pockets in hopes that he will find his phone. "Shit, shit, shit," he mutters under his breath, honey-brown hues searching the floor as he makes his way into the main room of his apartment. Deciding that his phone is lost, he stops mid-step and places his hands on his hips, a sigh of defeat escaping his lips. It's not until he sees a socked foot hanging over the armrest of his couch that he begins moving again. His steps are slow and steady, as though he's attempting to sneak up on whoever is sprawled out on his couch.

As Kise leans over the couch, he can't help but grin at the sight of Aomine sleeping. His expression is soft, and peaceful, and for once, his navy brows aren't knitted together… as though he's dreaming of pleasant things. There's something soothing about the way Aomine is breathing—it's not quite a snore, but the sound is distinct and rhythmic. Although he knows Aomine can't hear him, Kise begins holding his breath as to keep from disturbing him in his unconscious state.

There's a sudden urge within the blond to reach out and gently trace the other's features with the back of his finger, though he refrains. Instead he leans in closer, honey-brown orbs examining Aomine's face, as though he's attempting to embed the image in his mind. Kise is sure it's a rare sight… to see the tanned male so relaxed and at ease, and it's something he wants to be able to vividly remember. He can't help but wonder if it was Aomine who had helped him get home, and an unintended feeling of admiration for the blue-haired male arises in the blond.

Just as Kise is about to back away and continue his search, Aomine suddenly reaches up and curls his fingers into the collar of his shirt. A yelp escapes Kise's lips as he's tugged down further, his face only inches away from Aomine's.

"The hell were you doing?" Aomine mutters in a slur, his half-lidded eyes staring up at Kise. His breath is warm against Kise's skin, and it causes goose bumps to arise on his arms and legs.

Eyes wide with surprise, Kise gulps, and he smiles a bit timidly as the other's hold on his shirt tightens.

"I was—" Kise's words trail off, and the unpleasant wave of guilt rushes through him as the other looks up at him in confusion, not knowing a single word that's coming out of his mouth because he _can't_ hear… and dammit, Kise can't help but feel like an ass for continuously forgetting the fact.

As Kise lifts his hand next to his face, Aomine's narrowed eyes quickly maneuvers over to it. **_I was looking for my phone._**

When Aomine finally releases the fabric of Kise's shirt from his grasp, Kise springs up quickly, and lets out a deep breath that he had been holding in for the past few seconds.

"You never checked your jacket pockets," Aomine says.

Kise gives the other a confused look, because he had been asleep when Kise was searching his pockets. It's not as though he's _that_ predictable… at least he thinks…

Aomine rolls his eyes after bringing his gaze up to notice Kise's puzzled expression, seeming to read his mind just as he usually does. "Last night… you were trying to find your keys, but you never looked in your jacket pockets."

His eyes immediately shift down to the jacket that he's still wearing from the night before, and he slowly slips his hands into the warm pockets of the material. As his fingertips graze upon the cool metal of his keys, a relieved sigh slips past his lips. "Thanks," Kise murmurs absentmindedly, and then checks his other pocket for his phone. Sure enough, it's there, and as he pulls it out to see the endless messages from people who are worried about his whereabouts. Although his eyes are plastered to the bright screen of his phone, he can tell that Aomine is looking at him, and it makes him feel a bit… self-conscious. Considering that he just woke up, and he's sure he looks a mess.

**_I have to make a call… I'll be right back_**, Kise signs as he meets gazes with the tanned male, and then makes his way out of the room. He's not lying, though the statement was more of an excuse than anything else. It's been a while, it seems, since he's last panicked about someone seeing him in such a state.

After rushing to the bathroom, Kise dials Kasamatsu's number and brings his phone up to his ear. Surprisingly, Kasamatsu is more relieved than he is mad, he's just glad to know that Kise is okay. Though, he makes sure to state that Kise is not off the hook before hanging up and letting him get back to getting ready.

Kise hops into the shower, and although he had planned to make it quick, he ends up relaxing underneath the warm water drizzling over his skin. He presses his forehead against the acrylic walls of the shower, his eyes fluttering shut as to indulge in the soothing sensation of steaming water beating against his body.

It's not until he hears pounding on the bathroom door that he swiftly reaches forward to turn off the water, eyes wide with fright. "Yes?" He calls out, a hand placed over his chest as though he's attempting to keep it from bursting out of his torso. It's silent, except for the gentle pitter-patter of water dripping from the faucet. After a few seconds of unbroken muteness, Kise reaches out and grabs his towel; hurriedly wiping his body down as to dry himself off.

He wraps the towel around his waist, running his hand through the wet locks of his hair as to keep water from dripping down his face, and then reaches out to unlock and open the bathroom door.

There's something about the way Aomine quickly turns his gaze away that amuses Kise, and he can't help but laugh.

"I was wondering what the hell was taking you so long…" Aomine explains, his eyes set elsewhere as he speaks.

It's hard to converse with Aomine this way… with him avoiding eye contact so that he can't see Kise's hands. Though, he supposes he would do the same if Aomine came out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist…

_Ah, shit._

Kise suddenly feels embarrassed, a faint blush painting his cheeks as he finally realizes that he just…

_Walked out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist._

He's quick to brush past Aomine and make his way into his room, his steps quick enough to be considered a jog. Usually, he'd spend a long time trying to figure out what he wants to wear, but considering he's made Aomine wait long enough, he throws on the first outfit that catches his eye. Besides, he's already late enough; he doesn't need to be wasting his time with such matters. After slipping into a pair of pants, and pulling a shirt over his head, Kise grabs his phone and keys and hurries back out of the room.

Aomine is sitting on the couch, a seemingly uncomfortable expression set on his features as he glares out of the open window. Kise can't help but wonder why he's still there… he could have gone home the prior night, but it seems he decided to stay and sleep on the couch for whatever reason.

Wanting to dim the slight awkwardness between them, Kise plops onto the couch beside the tanned male, and waits for Aomine to shift his gaze over to him so that he can begin signing. Aomine tilts his head a bit, navy eyes glaring at Kise in a way that causes the hairs on his arm to stand up.

**_Sorry about that_**, Kise signs with an apologetic smile. **_I guess I've kind of gotten used to living alone. I didn't think it through._**

**_Yeah, no shit,_** Aomine says with a deadpan.

**_I hope I didn't cause you too much trouble last night._** Kise bites down on his bottom lip.

Aomine shrugs, seeming to be nonchalant about the matter. **_You were pretty drunk._** **_But it was no big deal._**

Although Aomine is attempting to seem indifferent about the situation, Kise can't help but feel embarrassed. Kise is sure that Aomine will never agree to go out with him and his friends again, and the realization causes his stomach to churn. He just wanted to see Aomine… loosen up a bit—to have a few drinks and dance. Though, that plan ultimately failed when the blue-haired male announced that he doesn't drink alcohol.

**_I owe you big time,_** Kise signs. **_You didn't have to sleep on the couch, you know. I wouldn't have minded if you went home._**

**_If I would have gone home, you probably would have never found your keys_**, Aomine teases. **_Besides, you wanted me to stay. So I did._**

**_I did?_** Kise has this look on his face that's like, _oh_, and he's sure Aomine is internally laughing at him.

It's not so much that he asked Aomine to stay that surprises him, it's that Aomine actually _stayed_. To think that he's able to bring out the compassionate side of the tanned male makes him feel… all tingly inside.

**_Like I said, it was no big deal. I'm going to head home now, though. So, I guess I'll see you later._** Aomine pushes himself up from the couch, and stretches his arm out to ruffle the damp strands of Kise's hair. "Make sure you lock the door before you leave, idiot."

It never fails to startle Kise when Aomine speaks out loud after having committed to a conversation with just sign language. Aomine's voice is deep, and low, like something you would hear on some sensual commercial intended to get girls worked up. It's one of those voices that makes you think, _oh wow, he's hot_, despite having not seen his face yet. And it's not until that moment that Kise actually realizes this… realizes how much of an effect Aomine can have on him just by doing something as simple as _speaking_.

There's something about the way the other's fingers feel on his scalp that makes Kise lean into his touch, and he lets out a huff of disappointment as Aomine retracts his hand and stuffs it in his pocket.

_This is dumb_, Kise thinks,_ I'm dumb_. He's always thought Aomine was pretty cool, there's this mysterious air about him that attracted Kise and made him want to be his friend. But to think that he would… _like _him. At least, that's what he's assuming the feelings he's gradually developing for the blue-haired male are, because he's not so sure what the hell it is he's experiencing at that moment.

Aomine leaves, and Kise can't help but feel conflicted and content all at once. He's always stated he wants to fall for someone who can appreciate his music, and support him with what he loves to do. Yet, here he is, crushing on some apathetic guy who can't even hear his words, let alone, his song.

* * *

Kise has soft hair. It's silky, and when damp, it brushes against his calloused fingertips in an oddly pleasant way that makes him reluctant with pulling away. It's been a few minutes since Aomine has left Kise's apartment, yet his fingers are still tingling from the sensation of ruffling his hair. It's a lingering feeling, something he knows is no longer existent, but wishes it was.

It's relieving to come home to an empty house; he doesn't have to worry about Kuroko bombarding him with questions, or Kagami being a smart ass. At that moment, he kind of just wants to… muse. Think about everything that happened the prior night, and try to figure out what the hell it is he's feeling towards this kid.

Aomine flops onto the couch and leans his head back, his eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling.

_I like girls… Girls with big breast… Like the one I just met last night…_

That's what he keeps telling himself, like a mantra, though the repetition seems to do him no justice. Because, yeah, he likes girls. But he also happens to like this stupid blond guy with a pretty face and this attractive laughter that he can't hear but wish he could. It's frustrating and… _confusing_, because he doesn't know how to go about such things.

No matter what gender Kise is, emotions are something Aomine has a hard time dealing with. It's one of the main reasons he prefers isolation, and tends to push away those who seem to care about him.

…It's what he does best, actually; pushing people away.

* * *

Usually Kise would celebrate after a performance with drinks and music, just as he did the night before. But something about this time makes him feel a bit… off. He just wants to go home and rest, something he hasn't properly done in what seems like a long time.

Kasamatsu questions him, asks if he's feeling okay when he states that he's going to head home for the night. Kise assures that everything is fine; he's just still somewhat hung over from the night before. It's partially true, though he's performed in much worse conditions. He knows Kasamatsu doesn't believe him entirely, but he doesn't question him any further.

"Just call me if you need anything," Kasamatsu says, then leaves him with a pat on the back.

On his way home, Kise sends the one person he wanted to see at his concert a message. He wants to know if they can hang out the next day, maybe he can go over to his apartment for once.

Kise takes a bath as soon as he gets home, and sits in the water until his fingers and toes look like prunes. It's relaxing, the warmth of the water, and Kise can't help but hum contentedly. He keeps his phone by the tub, just in case Aomine replies, though the only messages he gets is from a few friends and girls telling him how great his performance was. Sometimes, he wonders why he gets his hopes up, definitely when it comes to Aomine.

Aomine is usually a slow responder, sometimes sporadic. So he isn't upset when two hours have passed and he has yet to respond to his text. Although he'd be lying if he said he isn't growing impatient, checking his phone every other minute to make sure that he doesn't have an unread message from the tanned male. It's times such as then when Kise wishes he can just call him and break the ice.

He falls asleep with his television on, and his phone resting on his chest. And when he wakes up the next morning, he has yet to receive a text back. He'd usually brush off such matters, and assume that Aomine went to sleep early that night… but his phone says that the message had been read. This causes Kise to furrow his brows, and his heart feels as though it's going to drop.

_ To: Aominecchi  
__**Sunday **__08:39  
Msg: Aominecchi! Did you get my message last night?_

Kise stares down at his phone, waiting for a response. And when the screen displays that the message had been read, but he doesn't receive a response, Kise is quick to send another text.

_ To: Aominecchi  
__**Sunday **__09:10  
Msg: I was wondering if you wanted to hang out, but if not, you could just tell me._

Because it's better to have Aomine straight out tell him that he wants to be left alone, rather than ignoring him. Though, he prefers neither.

Rather than staring down at his phone like some hopeless teenager, Kise gets out of bed and drags his feet into the kitchen, where he begins making rice. There's something about the way the light peaks through the window of the main room that calms his nerves, and he lets out a soft sigh that seems to lift away all his prior worries.

He thinks that he's over the whole thing… if Aomine doesn't want to hang out, then he can find something else to do for the day. It's not as though Aomine had always been in his life, so he shouldn't act like it. At least that's what he convinces himself until he hears his phone vibrating against the counter, and he reaches out for it faster than his mind can keep up.

To see that it's just a message from his mom causes him to grunt in frustration, and carelessly drop his phone back on the counter. He's confused, because Aomine seemed to be fine the previous day before leaving his apartment. He even said _see you later, _which isn't usually something someone who's upset would say. Kise doesn't see Aomine as someone who is passive aggressive, pretending that everything's alright when really he has something on his mind, so Kise doesn't understand why the hell he isn't responding.

_ To: Aominecchi  
__**Sunday **__12:03  
Msg: Did I do something wrong?_

He contemplated sending his last message, mainly because he didn't want to seem as though he's helpless or pining. If anything, he's worried; worried that he upset Aomine in some way.

When Kasamatsu comes over to practice, he immediately notices that something is off. "You alright, kid?" He asks with an arched brow as he pulls out his guitar. Kise will nod his head reluctantly, somehow managing to hide his anxious expression behind a forced smile.

"I'm fine, senpai. It's nothing, really."

It's nothing…

* * *

**_Aomine-kun, you should go out and do something today_**, Kuroko signs after making his way out of the room to see Aomine still lounging on the couch.

**_I'll go the courts later, right now I'm relaxing,_** Aomine says.

**_You've been relaxing for the past week. I think you've done enough relaxing_**, Kuroko states with concern, although his face remains inexpressive.

Aomine rolls his eyes, avoiding further conversation with the phantom. He keeps his eyes set on the wall across from him, his lips pressed into a straight line, and his hands curled up into loose fists by his sides. After a few seemingly long seconds pass by, he steals a quick glance to where Kuroko had been previously standing, only to see that he dropped the subject and exited the room.

The truth is, if he goes out, there's a possibility that he'll run into Kise, who he has been successfully avoiding over the past week.

_Out of sight, out of mind. _

A concept that usually works for the tanned male. He's generally quick to forget names, and if he tries hard enough, faces. But Kise is different. Everything reminds Aomine of the damn blond… and it doesn't help when Kagami bursts through the front door in an peculiarly good mood and offers Aomine a vanilla soda popsicle.

Damn it, he hates that bastard.

It's weird because he wanted to push Kise away so that the weird feelings he's developing for him could diminish, but when the blond finally stopped texting him, the feelings only amplified. He's found himself writing a response to Kise, only to backspace the whole message multiple times.

As Aomine is staring down at his phone, reading over the texts Kise had sent him a few days prior, a message pops up on his screen.

_ From: Kagami  
__**Saturday**__ 14:30  
Msg: stop being a dumbass and go talk to kise, you stupid ganguro. i'm tired of seeing ur face all the damn time_

Aomine lifts his gaze to see Kagami standing in the kitchen with his phone in hand. There's something about the way Kagami is looking at him that says, _yeah, I know about your feelings for Kise, _and it causes Aomine to narrow his eyes in frustration. He sighs, flipping Kagami off as he averts his eyes back down to the screen of his phone.

As much as he hates to admit it, sometimes, _just sometimes_, Kagami is right.

_To: Kise  
__**Saturday**__ 14:32  
Msg: yo _


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

It's weird, Kise thinks as he stands on the train; his shoulder pressing roughly against Aomine's as the area begins to crowd with people. All of it is weird, because it's as though nothing has changed. At least, that's what the both of them are acting like. Aomine stands there with his usual nonchalant expression, navy orbs staring out the window of the moving train. They haven't spoken much, just casual exchanges of sign language, fake smiles, and sometimes even brief eye contact if Kise stares long enough. Nothing has changed, yet _everything_ has changed. It's all make-believe, pretend. And Kise can't help but wonder why he had agreed to meet up with Aomine in the first place.

What's for the best and what is the best; two entirely different concepts that are difficult to tell apart. Kise has a tendency to pick what is the best, being that he tends to think in the moment. The future doesn't appeal much to him, because the future is not guaranteed. Some people will base their whole life on how they want their future to turn out, and in turn, never have a chance to enjoy the present time. So when Aomine texts him after a week of blatant avoidance, Kise texts back. Even as his mind tells him to do otherwise; '_maybe this isn't for the best.' _

It might not be for the best, but he wanted nothing more than to speak with Aomine, to see him again.

"This is our stop," Aomine says, and he finally turns his gaze to Kise. They look at each other for what seems like eternity, emotions hidden and breathing halted. It's not until someone bumps into Kise that the eye contact is broken, and they begin hurriedly making their way off of the train.

The rest of their walk is silent; uneasy, even. Although things are usually silent between the two because of Aomine's inability to hear, there's something different about the quiet mood. It's sort of like two strangers unintentionally walking in the same direction; suspicious as to why the other is following them.

"You like teriyaki?" Again, Aomine is the one to break the silence; something foreign for the both of them.

It's as though they switched roles; Aomine attempting to reach out for Kise instead of vice versa. When they first met, Kise had been so set on trying to get Aomine to loosen up around him; to smile instead of scowl. It seemed as though Kise had been looking at Aomine's back all this time; chasing him, yet getting nowhere. And just when he decided he was through trailing behind someone who doesn't care, Aomine turned around to finally face him.

Kise nods stiffly, his smile empty, though visible. **_Are you going to tell me where we're going yet?_** He asks.

Aomine keeps his hands stuffed in his pockets, expression indecipherable, and his arid lips slightly parted as he hesitates to respond; "To get teriyaki burgers, obviously," he says. "I owe you." Their shoulders brush lightly and Kise is quick to create distance between them. There's something about the slight contact that causes his skin to tingle in an oddly exhilarating way. It's the same sensation of being statically shocked; an abrupt jolt that causes you to swiftly pull away.

**_You don't owe me anything…_** Kise signs.

"Yeah I do…" Aomine averts his gaze. "You took me out to lunch that one time… when we got soup. And this is the least I can do to make amends… for ignoring you and stuff."

He's not entirely sure if he's glad Aomine is honest about the fact or not, but his throat feels as though it constricts, and his breath hitches. The situation isn't being avoided; not entirely at least. Kise had expected Aomine to be the type to never bring it up, to act as though the whole thing never happened.

Their conversation is left hanging at that, mostly because Kise's doesn't know how to respond. And he happens to pay attention to Aomine's subtle body languages. Usually, when he turns his gaze in the middle of a conversation, it means he doesn't want to further discuss it. If he can't see your hands, he can't see your words.

It's not long before their both sitting in some small restaurant, teriyaki burgers in hand, and surrounded by couples and friends eating out as well. There's this look on Aomine's face as he stares down at his food, as though he's contemplating where he wants to take a bite, but Kise is not too sure. Anything can be going through his mind at that moment.

"Can we talk?" Aomine finally says as he sets his burger back on its crumpled wrapper. The way his eyes flicker up, it causes Kise to swallow his food harshly and stiffen in his seat.

**_Of course_**, Kise signs after setting his burger down.

Although Aomine is looking at him, he's not looking _at _him. He's staring at Kise's nose, probably an attempt to avoid direct eye contact. Sometimes, his navy hues will swiftly glance down at his lips, as though he's trying not to stare at one spot for too long. Kise reaches up to push a few strands of hair behind his ear, and then leans forward a bit in hopes to catch Aomine's gaze. His brows are raised, expression displaying his curiosity.

**_I like hanging out with you_**, Aomine finally says, though his eyes remain set on the tip of Kise's nose. **_Which is why I started avoiding you. _**There's an elongated pause in Aomine's hand gestures, and Kise remains stiff, silent even, with wide eyes.**_ It's frustrating, because I've never really minded being deaf. I have a reason to block people out of my mind. But now…_** He drops his hands, and leaves his sentence hanging.

Curious as to what Aomine is trying to get at, Kise's brows furrow, and he tilts his head the slightest bit. **_What? _** He presses the subject; the movement of his hands grabbing the tanned male's attention.

**_No, it's stupid_**, Aomine responds.

Kise frowns and leans back in his seat.

**_I'll tell you another time. The point is, I like hanging out with you_**, Aomine says, and he finally makes eye contact with Kise for the first time since they arrived at the restaurant. There's something about the way his eyes shine underneath the dim light of the room that causes Kise's stomach to plummet; it's a look he's never seen Aomine give him before.

Even with Aomine saying it; Kise can't believe it. It's just hard for the blond to believe that a person can just so effortlessly push away someone that they claim to care for. That's not how relationships work, whether they be friendships or beyond that. He's never experienced that sense of fear from having grown close to a person, if anything he feels the opposite.

Though, he supposes he can understand, if Aomine feels the same as he does. It's not just that he likes hanging out with him; it's that he _likes him_. And it's confusing, the emotions he feels for Aomine. Because he's never felt that way towards another man, and in a way, it can be frightening; can cause a person who's less open to relationships to put up a barrier and cut all strings in hopes to bury and forget the foreign emotions deriving.

**_Well, I like hanging out with you too_**, Kise finally responds. And since he finally has Aomine's attention, he continues. **_But… Don't think I'm okay with what you did. And don't think you can walk all over me, or treat me as though I don't have feelings either, Aominecchi. Texting me 'yo' after having ignored me for weeks is never okay. Just tell me you don't want to talk to me next time. I'm not always this… Forgiving. _**

**_I didn't say you were_**, Aomine says.

**_I'm being serious_**, Kise frowns.

Aomine pauses a moment, then says, **_I'm being serious too._** Then he returns his gaze to the tip of Kise's nose. **_I have no intentions of ignoring you again._**

Some part of him wants to make a fiery remark, though he refrains; seeing as Aomine is actually being sincere with his words.

**_Good. I've had to eat all those popsicles by myself_**, Kise teases. Feeling as though the awkward tension has finally been alleviated somewhat, he lets a genuine smile grace his lips. It's almost frustrating to think that this is all he wanted over the past week, even if he tried convincing himself that Aomine didn't matter; that music is the only thing he should be worrying about.

Though his time away from Aomine only caused his passion for singing to dim. Meeting Aomine was the peak of his career; writing songs had never been easier, and he felt extremely confident in his vocals. Despite Aomine not being able to hear his song, he felt as though one day he would. In a sense, Aomine was his muse; someone that sparked his creativity and heightened his enthusiasm in music.

A humored scoff escapes the tanned male's lips, and he reaches down to pick up his burger. "Sounds horrible," sarcasm laces his deep tone.

And although Aomine can't hear him, Kise retorts, "You're horrible."

* * *

"Just think, senpai. One day, we'll have one of our very own," Kise says as he plops down into a seat on the couch.

It's not often that they get to rent out the local studio, being that they aren't privileged with money, but they managed to save enough gained from their concerts over the past month. It's a small studio, nothing special, but it's still an exciting experience; getting to have the place to themselves for a full day. The last time they got to use the studio was a bit over a month ago, so the place almost seemed foreign when they first walked in. Despite that, they wasted no time in making themselves at home.

Kasamatsu sets his guitar against the wall and sits next to Kise. "Yeah, it'll be nice," he says.

Humming softly under his breath, Kise sinks in his spot; finally relaxing after having worked nonstop for the past few hours. He begins subconsciously tapping his foot on the ground, creating a tune of his own that seems to even have Kasamatsu nodding his head to. They remain this way for a few minutes, silent and at ease; appreciating each second they have in the studio.

"You seem happy today," Kasamatsu finally says.

There's something about the statement that catches Kise off guard, and his brows furrow the slightest bit; his humming immediately coming to a halt. "Of course I am," he says.

"Well, you've just been a little down in the dumps lately. I mean, it's not anything too obvious. I'm sure no one else has said anything to you, because no one else has noticed. But I know you," Kasamatsu says. "I could tell something had been bothering you all last week. I'm glad that—whatever it was—you got over it."

The never ending thought of Aomine returns to Kise's mind, and he makes this face that says _oh, yeah, that._ Sometimes he forgets how observant Kasamatsu is, which is much to his disadvantage. Though, he doesn't mind so much, having someone he can be completely honest and open with. "I've been meaning to ask you something. I need advice," Kise says with a sideways glance and an expression that shows he's somewhat reluctant.

"About?"

Kise completely turns his gaze to the other and says, "What do you think about men liking other men?" His voice is a bit shaky, and his stomach churns like he had eaten a bad taco.

Silence accompanies the room, and it's a bit nerve wrecking for Kise as he watches his guitarist's features twist into a confused expression.

"I don't know. People like what they like, that doesn't concern me," Kasamatsu says, indifferently. It takes him a while, but eventually it seems that he's catching on. The bewildered look on his face gradually falters into a more considerate one, and he shifts a bit in his seat. "I mean, I don't have a problem with it, if that's what you're asking."

Kise lets out a dry laugh. "You probably think horribly of me now." A swift jab is thrown at Kise's side, causing him to clutch the area and let out a small, breathless yelp. "Kasamatsu—"

"Don't be an idiot. Why the hell would I think any less than you? I told you, it doesn't concern me," Kasamatsu says, looking up at him. "If you like women, then so be it. If you like men, then so be it. It all comes down to what makes you happy. That's all that really matters."

To say Kise had been caught off guard would be an understatement. Kasamatsu never ceases to amaze him, it's like he's a walking shrine of wisdom.

"Thank you…" Kise mutters quietly under his breath, his hand still clutching at his side although the pain has subsided.

"Don't thank me… Does anyone else know about this?" Kasamatsu asks.

"No, that's why I needed your advice. I really like this guy, but I don't know if he likes me back."

Kasamatsu frowns slightly. "I wouldn't even be able to give you girl advice if I wanted to. Sorry, kid. But if you really like him, just go for it, I guess. The worst that can happen is he rejects you."

"Yeah, well… this is different. I don't want him to think I'm gross or anything," Kise says, sulking.

"You'll never know unless you find out, right?"

That's the thing. Kise isn't sure if he _wants_ to find out; he isn't sure if it's worth ruining a friendship that had just been mended. And at the same time, he's not sure if he can continue pretending that his feelings for Aomine are completely platonic.

"Right," Kise muses, and forces a small smile.

* * *

There's this look on Aomine's face, it's sort of impossible not to stare. His eyes are half-lidded with obvious exhaustion, his lips are slightly parted, each breath is soft and relaxed, and Kise can tell he's on the verge of falling asleep.

The room is dim, except for the flickering light of the television, which displays a movie the both of them picked out just a few minutes prior. Aomine has his armed stretched across the back of the couch, and Kise has resorted to scooting all the way to the other end so that there's no possibility of accidental body contact. He can't help but wonder what it's like to watch a movie with no sound and subtitles. Though, he supposes it's no different than reading sign language but not being able to hear the words.

"This movie is stupid…" Aomine's words are slurred and low, and if Kise hadn't been more in tune to him than he is to the movie, then he might have not heard him.

For a swift second, Kise turns his gaze to the screen to see a couple kissing, tears pricking at the corner of the girl's eyes as though she was overflowing with happiness. His eyes drop down to his hands, and he swallows over a forming lump in his throat. He hates this, being in a room with Aomine and pretending that everything is fine.

"Shit…" Kise breathes, and he lets his eyes flutter close.

"You okay?" Aomine asks, and Kise's head snaps up to see that he's staring at him.

If he says yes, he'd be lying. So instead, he forces a smile and turns his gaze away; copying Aomine's method of avoiding confrontation. Though, he momentarily forgets that he can't do the same things as Aomine, because turning his eyes elsewhere will not keep him from hearing the questions being asked.

"Kise…" Aomine's voice is stern.

_It's now or never_, Kise thinks, his heart thumping harshly enough against his chest that he's sure if Aomine wasn't deaf, he'd be able to hear it. After having internally encouraged himself, Kise slowly scoots closer to Aomine, his movements causing the couch to shake beneath them. Aomine looks confused, and his brows pinch together as though he disapproves of the sudden invasion of his space. The room is completely silent, except background noise the movie is providing.

Honey-brown hues trail down to Aomine's lips, and he's sure that his intentions are obvious now. The tension in the room is thick enough to cut through with a butter knife, and Kise feels as though he's going to pass out right then and there. He leans forward; his heart skipping multiple beats as his face inches closer to Aomine's. And just as their lips are about to touch, Aomine leans back, his face twisted into a scowl, and his lips pressed into a straight line. Kise feels as though the whole world has stopped spinning as the navy eyes of the other male stare into his own.

"I… don't know if you could tell," Kise begins, despite having been slightly rejected. He knows Aomine can't hear him, but he's always been good at expressing his emotions verbally. It's easier this way, whether or not his words are being comprehended. "But I like you… And I thought it'd be sort of cool if we could be together—"

It's like a spark, when Aomine suddenly leans in to press their lips together. He feels a jolt rush from his mouth through the rest of his body, causing his toes to curl into the carpet beneath his feet. Kise's body stiffens, and his eyes grow wide in disbelief as their teeth clash against each other in an almost unpleasant way. Aomine's not the best kisser; he can tell by the way his lips nervously move against his own in a somewhat timid manner. But none of this matters to Kise in that moment. Aomine is _kissing_ him.

After what seems to be not long enough, Aomine finally pulls away, and his eyes are closed. "I have no idea what you were saying. But if you want to kiss me, then just do it," he says, breathless.

There's this sudden rush of heat that rises to Kise's face, causing his skin to tint a slight shade of pink, and he's glad Aomine isn't looking to see that he's in a complete daze.

With Aomine's eyes shut, he can't respond through words, so instead, he reaches up to cup his face in his hands. The sudden contact causes Aomine's lids to flutter open once again, and there's a surprisingly soft look graces his tanned features. Aomine's skin is warm against his fingertips, and he can feel how smooth and hairless the area is.

"I like you," Kise says more confidently this time, and he makes sure to draw out each word so that there's a possibility that Aomine can read his lips.

They maintain eye contact for a few more seconds before a small sigh pulls itself from Aomine's lips. "I like you too," he responds.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

There are many things Aomine hadn't done before meeting Kise.

First, he had never kissed another male. In fact, it was something he had never even _thought _about doing. If someone were to question Aomine about his sexuality just the day prior, he would have claimed that he's straight without a second thought. He doesn't fantasize about boys, at least, he _hadn't._ Now, he's not so sure. Because liking Kise means he's gay, right?

Though, he doesn't see it that way. When he looks at Kise, he doesn't see gender, if anything, that's the least of his concerns; he sees someone that piques his interest… _captivates _him, and makes him happy.

Second, he had never told someone he liked them. He's dated a few people in the past—dull girls with big racks and an okay face—but he's never said anything as remotely sappy as "I like you," before in his life.

So to think that he's sitting here locking lips with some jubilant blond in the dark… it makes his stomach do these unpleasant flips that causes him to swallow hard and wince like someone's jabbing his side with a needle. Kise pulls away, perfect brows knitted and a concerned look spread on his faultless features, as though he knows Aomine's mind is going haywire with different emotions.

Kise's pale hands are still clutching onto his shirt, and this realization pulls a relieved sigh from his lips, because without his hands, he can't talk. So he hopes that they stay like this, expressing emotions through touching lips instead of words. But just as he thinks his hopes are within reliable reach, Kise tightens his grips on his shirt for a short moment, and then lets go; patting the area as though he's trying to smooth out nonexistent wrinkles with a smile.

**_Something is on your mind_**, Kise signs.

Yeah, well, _fuck_. Aomine averts his gaze, and begins holding his breath as he struggles to find the right words to explain himself. How is he supposed to say, "I like you, but this isn't right"? He wants it to be right… it _feels_ right, but the more he muses on it, the more he realizes that the idea of being in a relationship actually scare the shit out of him. And to think that if they were to walk outside right then, holding hands, and publically expressing their affection, they would be shunned and looked down upon.

But he wants this _so bad_. So fucking bad, it almost pains him to think that he's even contemplating it.

**_Don't you think that, as a musician, this is sort of a bad idea?_** Aomine asks, interested.

**_You mean us both being men?_** Kise looks somewhat confused.

**_Yeah, I mean… People are going to judge you for this, you know._** Aomine claims.

Although he can't hear, he knows the silence between them is awkward by the way Kise shifts in his spot; his expression displaying what looks to be regret. Aomine wants to reach out, pull the blond back into his embrace, and mutter something along the lines of, "But that doesn't matter to me," but he keeps his hands and thoughts to himself. Because as much as he doesn't want to admit it, it _does_ matter to him.

**_You should really think about this kind of stuff before you kiss me,_** Kise signs; his gaze lowered.

The way Aomine's stomach turns makes him feel as though he's going to throw up, and he has to reposition himself so that his posture doesn't reveal his discomfort. He's never felt so… guilty. Knowing that he put that disheartened expression on Kise's face puts him in such an uneasy state, and he hates the fact that he lets the other get to him so effortlessly.

It's not that he doesn't want to be with Kise, because that's exactly what he wants. He's just so confused and unsure of his emotions… and the thought of coming out as gay to his friends and family terrifies him just as much as the relationship itself.

"Doesn't it bother you?" Aomine asks, and he manages to keep his eyes set on the blond.

There's hesitation with the other's answer, but eventually he responds; **_No. I mean, I'm a bit new to this… but I really like you. And it just… doesn't matter to me, you know? I was unsure about it all up until the point that you kissed me. That's when I knew that all of that other stuff, like our gender, is irrelevant. Because this is what I want. But… if it bothers you, then maybe it isn't what you want._**

Aomine holds his breath as he watches Kise's hand gestures; the words rolling off of the tip of his fingertips. The way Kise grimaces with his last sentence, like he's trying to force a smile, but his true emotions remain at bay, causes the corner of Aomine's lips to tug downwards into a frown.

Hearing Kise say what he feels… admitting it so effortlessly makes him feel somewhat jealous. Because it's a quality he wishes he possessed.

**_So, does it bother you_**? Kise asks, hands finally dropping in his lap as to mark the end of his speech.

Aomine remains silent and averts his gaze, because he just isn't sure how to respond. If he truly knew how he felt, then he wouldn't have to think about it, right? The incessant silence consumes him at that moment, and he relishes the fact that he can just sit in peace. He doesn't have to worry about sounds distracting him from his train of thought; or Kise speaking up to rush him for an answer.

Does it bother him?

…Well, no. If anything, it was the opposite when his lips were melting into Kise's. And he wouldn't mind experiencing the light headed feeling and sporadic fluttering of his heart again if that meant he was with Kise. He wouldn't mind a lot of things, if it meant it was with Kise. As sappy and completely out of his character as it seems; he's never met a person that made him feel so alive.

It's not until Kise stands that Aomine snaps out of his own little world and lifts his gaze; immediately noticing his disappointed look. Aomine abruptly reaches out and grasps Kise's wrist as though he's nonverbally begging him not to go. Those honey-brown hues that glimmer under the flickering light of the television snap towards the fingers curling around his wrist, and it's obvious that he's confused and maybe a little irritated with Aomine's wavering emotions.

"I wouldn't kiss you for nothing. I obviously feel something," Aomine says, and his grip on Kise's wrist tightens. "Let's just see how this works out. I'm not the best at this… so…" The words he planned to say get lost somewhere in his jumbled mind, and he hates how incapable he is at expressing his thoughts.

Kise leans down and cups Aomine's face with his freehand, and he's speaking. The only word Aomine can manage to decipher is his own name, and he wishes he could hear what it sounds like when it rolls off of the blond's tongue. He can't help but try to imagine the sound of Kise's voice when he talks… when he sings. It's probably a pleasant sound; one that attracts the ears and holds the attentions of strangers.

Half-lidded eyes watch his lips move carefully, hoping to pick up at least one word, but he ultimately fails. There's this slight smile gracing Kise's lips, and Aomine knows that whatever he's saying can only be expressed through verbal words. And even though he can't hear them, it still causes his mind to go blank and his heart to skip a few beats.

This idiot, is he ever going to stop talking? Doesn't seem like it, Aomine thinks, so he closes the distance between them and claims Kise's lips with his own; the first method he could think of to get Kise to shut up. He can feel each goose bump rise to the surface of his skin, and a shiver rushes down his spine and causes him to quiver the slightest bit. It's like he's falling apart, only to have Kise build him back up with just the slightest touch of his lips. He wonders, if this is what kissing is supposed to feel like; if it's supposed to be so addicting and sharp, like an injection of a drug.

Compared to the way Kise's lips move so effortlessly against his own, Aomine knows that his kissing is mediocre. If it were an orchestra concert, he'd be the one playing off beat, struggling to find which note they're on. Kissing wasn't something he did often, in fact, it was rare. But the few times he did, it didn't last very long. Or at least, it was never as passionate and deep.

How long have they been kissing? Aomine doesn't know; doesn't necessarily care, either. Because it feels so right, and Kise tastes so right, it's almost disappointing when he finally pulls away.

"Damn," Aomine breathes, and he's blinking like he can't believe anything is real.

Kise is still close, and Aomine can feel his warm breath brushing against his skin, and it takes all he has not to lean in for another kiss.

**_Popsicle_**? Kise asks, and Aomine nods. So the next thing he knows, they're both sitting on the couch with popsicles in hand, Kise's legs thrown over Aomine's lap. The movie playing on the television is disregarded; instead they're more focused on the way their skin contrasts against each other.

There's this look on the blond's face, like he has something on his mind but he refuses to say it, and it irritates Aomine.

"What?" Aomine's tongue is a bit numb from the frozen treat, so the word comes out in a muffled slur that sounds as though his mouth is full of marshmallows. Kise starts laughing, and this causes his brows to furrow in frustration. He can't hear himself, so he's unaware of how ridiculous he sounds in that moment, but that's not what has him so worked up. Each time Kise laughs is like a slap to his face, because he knows he'll never get to know what it sounds like.

So he presses the flat end of his popsicle to Kise' cheek; hoping that the abrupt, sticky chill of the frozen treat will divert his laughter.

The perfectly shaped brows of Kise pinch together, and his mouth opens wide and forms an 'O' as though he's letting out a soundless whine. Out of reflex, Kise reaches up to smack the popsicle out of Aomine's hand, and it lands between them on the couch, the blue syrup instantly seeping into the cushion and marking its stain. Aomine can't help but laugh, even though he's totally in the wrong.

Aomine spends the next fifteen minutes attempting to scrub the stain out of the cushion, and Kise sits on the arm of the couch with his arms folded over his chest and an oddly attractive expression that's supposed to display anger. After what seems like endless scrubbing, the stain turns to a light blue that's only visible if you squint and maybe stare hard enough.

"That's the best it's gonna get," Aomine admits, yawning. He lies out on the ground, and places the rag he used to scrub the cushion over his face so that he's accompanied by nothing other than darkness and silence. That doesn't last long, though. Kise's pulling the rag away from his face just a few seconds later, and he's hovering over him with that same angered expression that amuses Aomine in all the ways that it shouldn't.

**_It's getting late_**, Kise says like it isn't the most obvious thing in the world.

**_Kicking me out already?_** Aomine teases.

The scowl set on Kise's features softens, and the corners of his lips tug downwards into a frown. **_I didn't mean it like that. It's just that you have to walk home…_**

**_I'm just kidding, I know. _**Aomine sits back up, only to nearly collapse back onto the ground when he realizes just how close his face is to Kise's.

**_You know_**, Kise doesn't remains still in his position, seeming to pay no mind to their intermingling breaths. **_I wouldn't mind if you stayed the night. If you'd rather sleep on my couch than walk home in the dark._**

**_The couch_**… Aomine parrots, and narrows his eyes challengingly.

He can tell that Kise is chuckling by the slight quiver of his shoulders, and the way his frown slowly transitions to a soft smile. **_You look disappointed._**

**_No… I mean, if you're cool with that? I'll leave first thing in the morning._** Aomine leans back slightly as to create some distance between them. His mind is going haywire, and by that point, he's not even sure what he's saying. The only thing he's focused on is those rosy lips he craves to claim again.

Kise gives a half nod as he straightens his posture, his grin faltering. And Aomine starts to think that maybe he wanted to hear a different answer. Maybe they both want the same thing, but they're too stubborn to just go with what their hearts are telling them.

**_I'll go get you some blankets_**—

And before Kise can finish his sentence, Aomine is grasping his wrist for the second time that day, and pulling him down onto the ground. The force of the pull sends Aomine back onto the ground, and Kise ends up hovering over him with wide eyes that look more pleased than surprised. Kise leans down and begins kissing him slowly, and Aomine can feel the spark of their lips touching reaching the tip of his toes and causing them to curl in satisfaction.

* * *

The sun is nearly blinding even through closed eyelids as it beams through the open window of the room. Aomine's eyes slowly flutter open to the bright light, and a soft grunt pulls itself from his lips. He tries to sit up, only to realize that there's a weight pressing down on his body and keeping his back pinned to the carpeted ground. It takes him a few moments to realize that the weight is just Kise; curling into his side like a puppy.

Kise's mouth is slightly parted and his disheveled hair sticks up in random directions, and Aomine finds himself staring longer than intended. He looks so at peace, as though he had been sleeping on a cloud and not the floor. Aomine shifts just the slightest bit so that he can get a better view of Kise's expression, and this causes the other to stir in his sleep. His appealing lips pucker slightly and his cheeks flush before his lids flutter open to expose the honey-brown orbs resting beneath them.

"Morning," Aomine says; voice gruff from having just woken up.

Kise's smile is brighter than the sun, but a lot easier on the eyes. He lifts his hand, and lazily signs against Aomine's lips, **_Morning_**. Not that Aomine can tell that's what he's really saying by the way his fingers move in a languid daze beneath his nose, but it's assumed.

A part of him wants to remain on the ground with Kise in his arms, and the warmth of the sun hitting the exposed areas of his skin. It's refreshing, like just getting out of the shower and jumping into a bed with newly cleaned sheets.

"I should probably get going," Aomine says, because he knows Kise probably has a busy day of band practice and other shit that has to do with his music career. He can feel the sigh that escapes Kise's lips, and it's almost disheartening to know that they can't stay like this forever.

After a few more minutes of relishing in the moment, Kise finally pushes himself away from Aomine and sits up. He runs his slender fingers through the wild strands of his hair in attempt to put them in place, though it ultimately does him no justice. Aomine remains on the ground and watches as the blond attempts to bring himself to reality by stretching his limbs and rubbing his eyes.

**_So, what does this make us?_** Kise turns and asks, and the inquiry nearly catches Aomine off guard.

Not wanting to discuss such a matter at an unequal level, Aomine sits up, and he can feel an ache from having laid on the grown on night beginning to throb along his spine. If anything, he'd expect Kise to have an answer, because he's completely lost when it comes to initiating and labeling relationships.

This makes them boyfriends, right? Or something like that.

**_Let's go out on a date first_**, Aomine says, and it's the one thing he'd least expect to ever come out of his mouth. It's just, it seems like they're just jumping into it, and Aomine doesn't see a point in rushing. **_Like a real date. And then we can go from there._**

**_A date?_** Kise asks, and for once, Aomine can't read the expression on his face.

**_Yes. We can go to a concert or something. I don't know. I'll take you out._** Aomine says, anxious. He runs his hand through his hair and lets out a deep breath in attempt to calm his nerves. He hates this feeling so damn much; the feeling of putting himself on the spot, but he's willing to put up with it for Kise.

There's a short pause in their conversation as Kise seems to muse on the offer, and Aomine is sure he's doing it on purpose to mess with his nerves. **_I'd love to go on a date with _**you, he says, and the widest grin spreads on his lips. **_So, then we'll decide what this is after our first date?_**

Aomine sighs in relief and nods. He's not sure what had him so anxious, but hearing Kise agree to go on a date with him puts him at ease.

And the way Kise leans forward to press a soft peck to his lips puts him at an even further ease.


End file.
